Posted by By JULIANA FRANCIS on
A suspected robber, who was allowed to become a member of a robbery gang because he claimed to be lion-hearted, suddenly knew he was chicken-hearted when he tried to rob a man who was ready to die.
A suspected robber, who was allowed to become a member of a robbery gang because he claimed to be lion-hearted, suddenly knew he was chicken-hearted when he tried to rob a man who was ready to die.
Christian Ogechukwu bought his way into the gang by hitting his chest and claiming he was brave and strong. According to him, the friend that introduced him into robbery had asked him: "Are you strong hearted? Do you have the heart to carry a gun and follow us to rob?" Too eager to get cash into his pocket and solve his financial problem, Ogechukwu had claimed more than he could do. Perhaps, he actually believed he was a brave man when he beat his chest, until April 29, when he and his partner, Obumneke, tried to snatch a motorbike from a stubborn victim. The victim, identified as Sule Mohammed, had dared the duo to kill him before they could take his motorbike.
Ogechukwu said: "I've been going on operation before with them, but I had never actively participated the way I did that day they arrested me. Before, I'll wait for them to come and give me a share of the action, but that day, I went on the operation with Obumneke."
He remembered that Obumneke before stopping a motorbike rider that fateful night, had told him the game plan.
Ogechukwu said: "I told the okada man that my handset had fallen. I begged him to stop. As he stopped, my partner pointed the pistol at him. We ordered him to get down. I was sitting at the back. My partner in the middle. He passed the pistol to me and tried to start the bike, but the man grabbed the bike.
"My partner ordered me to shoot, but I couldn't. I didn't know how to use a gun. The okada man noticed and grabbed me too. I struggled but he wouldn't let me go."
Obumneke, probably sensed people might soon swoop on them following the victim's cry for help, so he bolted. An angry crowd, rounded up Ogechukwu and gave him the beating of his life.
Recovered from him, was a brownie pistol with 12, 7.65mm calibre live ammunition. He said the gun belonged to Ikechukwu.
The suspect told Daily Sun that the news of his arrest for robbery would surely kill his father, who was already suffering from a heart problem.
Crying profusely, Ogechukwu said: " My arrest in this sort of crime will kill my father. He loves me too much. I was arrested because I didn't have the strong heart for robbery. It was my accommodation problem that pushed me into this crime. I sell exhaust pipes but the business did not fetch much. I owe my landlord a year rent. The money was close to N100, 000. If I had received up to that amount, I would have stopped going to rob with them. But since I joined them, the highest money I had received was N3,000."
Explaining that he was the eldest in his polygamous home, Ogechukwu revealed that he had younger siblings staying with him in Lagos. He claimed that he picked robbery to raise money for his accommodation when his landlord threatened to eject them from the house. He also added that as the eldest, he felt it was his duty to do everything possible to ensure they retained the house.