A five-man robbery gang led by a fake policeman who identified himself as Joel Ojo, has been arrested by the Nigerian Police on Monday, September 28, at about 11pm in the Abbatoir, Agege area of Lagos State.

 

The fake policeman confessed that the guns and the Police Identity Card recovered from the gang were given to him by a friend who is a policeman identified simply as Muhammed, a Chief Superintendent of Police based at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

 

It was gathered that the gang members who were driving a car, were stopped by a police patrol team and after their vehicle were searched, two pump-action rifles, two pistols with several cartridges, a police I.D card and a police uniform were recovered from the car, while the suspects were arrested.

 

58-year-old Ojo, who spoke with correspondents on Tuesday, claimed that he was taking the rifles for repair, adding that he used the guns for security work, and not robbery.

 

"We were arrested at about 11pm for driving against the traffic. The guns were in my car and I was taking them for repair. I am not the owner of the guns. I started to use the police I.D. card and the guns early this year. I work as a security man.

 

"Just assist me. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Kokumo, ordered our arrest.

 

"We were taken to SARS. As I speak with you, I am having headache and I cannot speak too much. It was one of my police friends who gave me the I.D. card and the guns. He is my friend; he is a CSP. He had also worked as a Divisional Police Officer.

 

"He knew I was a security man and he said I should have them. His name is CSP Muhammed attached to the Force headquarters, Abuja."

 

A police source disclosed that the gang’s vehicle was impounded at the Abbatoir Police Division, while the police officer, who the gang claimed to know, had been called for questioning.

 

"They are actually a robbery gang. It was because it was DCP Kokumo who arrested them that the guns were discovered. They were driving against the traffic in the Abbatoir area when the DCP’s boys stopped them for a search.

 

"In the end, two pump-action rifles and two pistols were found in the vehicle. The police officer they named has been called for questioning. Everybody was shocked that he had a strong link with the robbery gang."