Posted by By Juliana Francis on
Four suspected robbers who lived by the sword, have finally died by it when they tried to trick detectives into a booby trap in the Kantagwa area of Lagos.
Daily Sun learnt that detectives at the Area ‘G' police command got a tip-off from an anonymous source about a robbery gang terrorising residents of Abule-Egba. According to Supol Badmus in charge of anti-robbery, they had just arrested Friday Igwe, who later led them to arrest others.
Found in the possession of one of them, identified as Morufu Akande, was a locally made pistol and two cartridges.
Daily Sun gathered that Akande was the armourer of the gang.
When he got wind of the fact that police had smashed the gang, he fled from the hideout. It was few weeks later that detectives discovered his hideout.
Supol Badmus said: 'Our investigation revealed that Morufu was hiding around the Bar Beach. He jumped into the sea when he sighted us, but one of the officers immediately jumped in after him. He was dragged out alive. He admitted to have robbed with those already in our net."
The robbers reportedly claimed to have robbed churches and robbed people of their valuables along Abule-Egba area of Lagos.
On February 5, the police decided to use Akande as bait to get other members of the gang. He was said to have admitted that some of his members were at Kantagwa, where they always met to plan for operation and smoke Indian hemp. But detectives got the shock of their lives when they were almost at the hideout.
'The armourer had already told us that one of his members identified as Tao, was keeping two guns. We went with the four of them to Kantagwa. How they knew we were coming remained a mystery to me. They sighted us first and opened fire. Though we were taken unawares, we had immediately replied them."
Four of the suspects were said to have sustained gunshots wound. One of the crime fighters was also wounded on his leg. The suspects died on their way to hospital.
The detectives were said to have started a massive hunt for Tao Egba, Saheed alias Saggy, and Chinedu alias Ego, who were suspected to be members of the gang.