WHEN some armed robbers struck at a filling station along New Ife Road on Sunday 23 May this year, killing an attendant and a customer who was buying fuel, they must have rejoiced that they had a successful outing. Not only did they kill the man, who was said to be a staff of a telecommunications outfit, in the presence of his wife and children, they made away with his Toyota Sienna vehicle which they later abandoned at Ogunpa area of Ibadan. His mobile phone was also taken. They had earlier snatched a Toyota Pathfinder Jeep at the premises of a church at Alarere Area.


However, the police in Oyo State Command was determined to unveil the gang behind this dastardly act, hence detectives from Egbeda police division headed by the DPO, Mr John Wada Aku, under whose jurisdiction the task fell, swung into action. Plain- clothed policemen led by the Divisional Crime officer of the division, went to Lagos, acting on a tip-off. Their efforts paid off when upon information, they were able to apprehend first, the nephew-in-law, then the wife of one of the gang members at Idimu area of Lagos.

The phone stolen from the robbers' victim was found with the nephew, one Rotimi, who told the police that the phone belonged to his aunt, and upon questioning, the woman whose name was given as Shola told the police that the phone was given to her by her husband. On the whereabouts of her husband, the woman told the police that he had gone to South Africa. Undaunted by the information, the police kept a close tab on the man while he was in South Africa and were able to monitor his plan and the intended date of his return to Nigeria.

Their investigations revealed that the gang member had jetted out of the country to South Africa not quite long after the robbery where he suspectedly went to watch the ongoing World Cup. Upon information on his date of arrival, the detectives were at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, lying in wait for the gang member whose name was given as Oriyomi Ogunronbi. Unaware of the security web woven round him, Sunday Tribune gathered that Oriyomi disembarked from the aircraft that brought him, all kitted up in hand gloves, sneakers, sunglasses and fez cap, bouncing as he made his way to clear himself with the Customs, and expecting to reunite with his wife whom he had called ahead to meet him at the airport. To his consternation, two policemen closed in on him, asking him to confirm if the driver's licence they showed him belonged to him. He nodded in affirmation. After taking him through the normal Customs' routine, Oriyomi was bundled into a car and brought to Ibadan for interrogation on his involvement in the May robbery and the whereabouts of other gang members.

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My GoD.

The phone stolen from the robbers' victim was found with the nephew, one Rotimi, who told the police that the phone belonged to his aunt, and upon questioning, the woman whose name was given as Shola told the police that the phone was given to her by her husband. On the whereabouts of her husband, the woman told the police that he had gone to South Africa. Undaunted by the information, the police kept a close tab on the man while he was in South Africa and were able to monitor his plan and the intended date of his return to Nigeria.

Very stewpid move. Discard everything from the robbery except the cash.