Posted by By Rotimi Williams, Femi Ogbonnikan and Sunday Michael on
"What a man can do, a woman can do better," the saying goes. This saying seems to explain the news of the arrest of a female armed robbery gang leader in Lagos.
"What a man can do, a woman can do better," the saying goes. This saying seems to explain the news of the arrest of a female armed robbery gang leader in Lagos.
Monsurat Olopade, 33, and three of her eight-member robbery gang, apprehended by men of the Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday, February 13. The group is alleged to be the brain behind several bloody robbery operations in which at least 18 people were sent to their early graves. Police sources claimed that the group was responsible for the attack on a police patrol team in which two officers were killed.
The police said they had been on the trail of the gang for some time before their effort paid off.
In Nigeria, headship of such criminal gangs is thought to be the exclusive terrain of men, and the story that a woman could engage in the activity, which leaves pain, blood, and sorrow in its trail, looks far-fetched. Little wonder shock, disbelief, and relief greeted the news of Olopade's arrest. Residents of Ikeja and the environs rose in jubilation at the news of the robbers' apprehension. People in their hundreds thronged the Area F Police Area Command to catch a glimpse of the lady they say had been terrorising the state, killing, maiming, and dispossessing citizens of their belongings. "When I heard the story of this lady robber and how she had been dramatising the evil trade before her victims and helpless members of the public, my heart bled for our society," said Johnson Ode, an Ikeja resident. "Why are we developing in the negative direction? Consider the crime this lady is committing against humanity and her desecration of womanhood."
The police said Olopade, whose gang they identified as one of the deadliest in the state, had been on their most wanted list for some time.
The 33-year-old lady, who had been disguising as operator of a pepper-soup outfit, did not disappoint the crowds that gathered to see her at Area F. She and the other suspects sang like a gospel church choir on interrogation. They gave details of their onslaughts and escapades. Specifically, Olopade disclosed to detectives how the gang started its operation with a military rifle purchased from a Nigerian Army soldier.
Before their arrest, police sources claimed that the gang was responsible for various robbery attacks in several parts of Lagos and Ogun States. Most armed robbery operations at popular eateries in the two states, Saturday Enquirer learnt, have been traced to the group.
Operatives of the Police Anti-Robbery Squad smashed the gang between Toyin Street and Allen Roundabout in Ikeja. Police detectives had apprehended one of the gang members, Wasiu Mohammed, who was riding on a motorcycle along the route. Wasiu was said to be on his way to keep a date with his girlfriend when he was accosted and eventually arrested. A somewhat mild drama preceded his arrest as the police detectives were said to be about to ask him to go when one of the officers sighted three handsets inside his breast pocket. A further search on him led to discovery of about four GSM SIM cards and jewelries. The police said the recovery of an MTN SIM card from Wasiu provided a vital lead to the arrest of the three other accomplices including Monsurat, the ringleader, at their various hideouts. Police sources hinted that when the MTN SIM card was inserted into one of the three handsets found on Wasiu, a call came in and the caller intoned, "The handset belongs to me. Please, return it to me. They snatched it from me. And I will be glad if you can do so."
With this voice, the police said, suspicion was aroused, which prompted the operatives to bring the suspect to Ikeja Divisional Headquarters, Ikeja. During preliminary interrogation, the suspect pleaded with the operatives to treat him gently, as he was prepared to cooperate with them. He confessed that all the items, including the motorcycle, were snatched at gunpoint and that he was on his way to dispose of the loots after seeing his girlfriend when nemesis caught up with him.
On the strength of the confession, it was learnt that Wasiu took the anti-robbery operatives, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Imohimi Edgal, a chief superintendent of police, to the hideouts of the accomplices around 3.00am.
At the first port of call, a leading accomplice, Remi Ajayi, was arrested at his No. 25, Owonikoko Street, Ijaiye, Agbado, a Lagos suburb, while the arrest of Mukaila Jinadu, the armourer of the gang, who described himself as a cobbler, followed.
It took several efforts before the gang's female ringleader, Monsurat, could be arrested around Oyegunle Street, Agric-Owutu, Ikorodu, where she maintained one of her three residential quarters.
When Monsurat opened up, the police were stunned at the calibre of weapons available to the gang. The gang's armourer took detectives to their armoury at an uncompleted church building along Ope-Ilu road, Agbado, where sophisticated weapons were recovered. Found at the armoury were four military rifles, including a chief revolver and Brownie pistols, four packets of 9mm military ammunition, three locally made pistols, four double-barrel weapons cut to size, 15 rounds of live cartridges, and three expended cartridges.
The mode of operation of the gang, it was gathered, involved snatching vehicles at gunpoint and using them to rob unsuspecting victims, especially at the entrance of commercial banks, popular eateries, and luxury buses.
The gang is alleged to be responsible for various robbery operations along Ikoyi, Third Mainland Bridge, Obanikoro, Ikeja, Festac Town, Satellite Town, and other areas within the metropolis.
On some occasions, police sources said, the gang members would snatch vehicles of their choice, which they often used to raid well-established eateries, pepper-soup joints, and residential houses.
Saturday Enquirer
learnt the gang members confessed to killing seven of their victims in various parts of the state. The gang, reportedly, admitted responsibility for the killing of two police officers, including an attack on a personal assistant to the DPO of the Ikeja Division, who was severely injured in company of his friends in a car where his handset, money, Force ID card and other personal effects found on him were carted away, a few metres from Gowon Estate Police station, Ipaja.
One of the suspects, Remi, in a chart with Saturday Enquirer, confessed that he and three other accomplices double-crossed the vehicle in which the DPO's aide was driving with a white Toyota Camry saloon car snatched earlier that day. He confessed that he personally manhandled the police officer and directed another gang member to dispossess the police officer and his friends of all their possessions including cash and handsets.
Remi told Saturday Enquirer that he went home with the items including two handsets and police identity card.
When it was the turn of Monsurat, who claimed to be a widow, to speak she did not mince words. The sobbing 33-year-old lady admitted being the gang's kingpin, adding that she was always providing the financial needs of the gang members.
She claimed she joined the robbery gang by accident.
According to her, she went out with the "boys" on operations when necessary. She said this was always done to ginger the boys up for action. Monsurat claimed that she often handled the Brownie pistol, which, according to her, was purchased from a Nigerian soldier at the rate of N65,000.
The prime suspect said her group operated almost on a daily basis.
Remi, who led the police to the arrest of other gang members, told Saturday Enquirer, "I am Remi Ajayi. I am 28 years old, a carpenter by profession and a resident of No. 25, Owonikoko Street, Ijaiye, Agbado. I hail from Ekotedo, Ibadan, Oyo State. I am married but have not been blessed with any child. I am number four in a family of six children. And my two younger brothers are currently undergraduate students of University of Ibadan (U.I).
"Although I was privileged to attend Aladura Primary School, Ekotedo, Ibadan, I eventually dropped out in Primary Five when a brother, who was living within our compound, asked me to follow him to Lagos. I decided to abscond from home because I had lost both parents. I don't even know my father because I was told that my mother was carrying my pregnancy when her husband died. She also died in 1995. So, it was not easy to make a living and this informed my decision to follow the brother to Lagos.
"And when I got there, I engaged in bus conducting at Dopemu Bus stop, Agege, before I ran into a problem. What happened was that our own group, intended to take over a garage at Dopemu in order to have control there but it was greeted with stiff resistance during which one person, belonging to the other side of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), was inflicted with machete wounds in the bloody clash.
"Consequently, I and some of our members were arrested and detained at the Alabo Police Post, Agege, before we were subsequently transferred to Idimu Police station. From there, we were arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrate Court and, subsequently, sentenced to seven years imprisonment at Kirikiri Maximun Prison, Apapa, Lagos. And this happened in 1997 and I regained freedom, after I served the jail term, in April 2005."
He continued, "Upon my release, I went to settle with my friends at Idi-Oro, Mushin, where I came across one Lanre, who lives within the same compound with Monsurat Olopade, our ring leader, around Oyegunle Street, Agric-Owutu, Ikorodu. And it was through Lanre I got to know Monsurat at Idi-Oro, Mushin where she was operating a popular beer parlour. She was also selling cocaine and Indian hemp.
"I wouldn't say I learnt the art of armed robbery, though, we got a dose of it in prison as we were often lectured on how to go about it undetected by some hardened criminals in the cells. I will confess I actually got the tutelage and skill from Lanre and his friends. And so, I ventured into full time armed robbery shortly after I was freed from the prison. I have taken part in 16 robbery operations.
"I thanked God that at the maiden operation it was successful because we were not arrested. We raided from Railway Line through Ikeja inside out where we attacked motorists and robbed at popular eateries around Ikeja. We shot two persons, who tried to be heady. I got N95,000 and four powerful handsets which I sold for N45,000 during the first robbery operation and that encouraged me to go for more."
Recounting one of their robbery operations that nearly boomeranged, Remi said, "Recently six members of the gang went out for an operation. We were successful because we snatched three vehicles and robbed a businessman, who was heading to a bank with a large amount of money in the booth of his car. But we encountered the police on our way while trying to escape and we engaged each other in a fierce gun battle.
"Unfortunately, one of the gang members was killed but we escaped with our loot.
"Two other accomplices-Yaro and Sheriff (alias Yauyau)-are still at large. The shot member was Shina. Initially, we wanted to get away with his corpse but we thought it was dicey and we rather chose to take to our heels. And that was what happened."
Remi disclosed that some of the weapons used by the gang were purchased from two persons they named as Fowosere and Saipor. He claimed that both persons reside in Shagamu area of Ogun State, adding that each of the rifles goes for N90, 000, depending on the brand.
According to him, "What the arms dealers normally do is that, they bring these rifles to Ogba Bembela, Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, where they sell them to buyers. For instance, a packet of 9mm military ammunition we often purchased from them cost between N45, 000 and N75,000, while 12 pieces of live cartridges cost N1, 200. And at the same Ogba Bembela, we disposed off our loot, especially vehicles, to many ready buyers, who usually thronged the place, for these items."
On how he got to know the military personnel that sold the Brownie pistol to the gang, Remi claimed, "It was a friend of Wasiu, who introduced him to us. The military man identified himself to us as Saheed. And it was only once we transacted business with him. He told us that a friend of his, who is based at a military barracks in Port Harcourt, gave him the gun to sell.
"Immediately we took possession of the first Brownie pistol, we kept it with our leader (Monsurat) to avoid exposing it to the boys within the Ogba Bembela, Idi-Oro, Mushin.
"Monsurat is our leader. She is very active, especially in handling weapons. On occasions, she would lead us in operations and we often enjoyed her presence and leadership qualities. I used the charms found on me for protection against arrest by the police. And they were usually kept with Monsurat."
Wasiu told Saturday Enquirer that the gang occasionally went after ‘Yahoo Boys', an appellation for internet fraudsters, whom they traced to their homes "because they are always rich in view of the amount they earn through Internet fraud."
According to him, "the Boys are easy to identify when we sight them along the roads. And immediately, they are held under gun point, they would be asked to surrender their hard currencies, powerful handsets, jewelries and other valuables that are found on them."
He captured his upbringing and involvement in armed robbery thus:
"I am 26 years old and a native of Ilorin, Kwara State. I attended Odi-Olowo Primary School, Mushin, before I was sent to learn a trade in fashion designing. But eventually, my master died and I couldn't complete the three years contract I signed with him. I later opted to engage in bus conducting. We were plying Opebi/Allen and Ojuelegba route until I came in contact with three friends who introduced me to armed robbery early last year.
"Lanre, Yauyau, Remi and I met at Mushin where they asked me to follow them for a business, which I later got to know was armed robbery. We raided a lot of homes in Ikeja before retiring to Ogba Bembela, Idi-Oro, Mushin, after the day's operation.
I was offered a total sum of N80, 000 and three handsets as my share of the loot, but I later went to Ladipo market where I sold the handsets.
"I got to know Monsurat through Lanre because Lanre usually claimed the woman was his big sister. And that was what I knew about their relationship. Saheed made us to believe that a friend of his, who was in Port Harcourt and was in dire need of money, wanted to sell the gun. We met him at Alamuti, Fadeyi, where he used to train in boxing."
According to Wasiu, "My own assignment in the gang was to provide cover for other members. I made use of some of the rifles, depending on the ones we went out with.
We were often four who always carried weapons. And since I joined the gang last year, I have taken part in 13 operations. At the second operation, I was offered N210, 000 and two handsets and while at the third operation, I got N150, 000 and three handsets."
Mukaila Jinadu, who is the gang's armourer said, "I am 32 years old and a native of Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State. I am married to Alira and blessed with three children, Maryam, Sadiat and Walis. I attended Keke Primary School, Agege, and passed out in 1986. I am a cobbler and I live at No. 1, Ifelodun Street, Agbado.
"On this very day, I was in my shop smoking Indian hemp when I saw Remi Ajayi, passing by. He approached and asked me to mend his slippers for him with gum. Initially, when I finished the job I asked him not to pay anything but he insisted he would pay until he offered me N40.
"A week after, he came and thanked me for the other time. The following day, which was a Sunday evening, he came and met me where we were doing Fuji music rehearsal. I am a good drummer. When I saw that he wanted to see me I left the drum and went to him. He said he wanted to take his leave and that he would want to keep his bag with me. "Something just came up on me and forced me to ask him what he was doing for a living. He answered that he was a bus conductor. He assured me that he wanted to go home and that he would soon come back for the bag. I obliged him and collected the bag from him and kept it in my shop without bothering to check what the contents were.
"Few minutes later, I began to feel uncomfortable and something started drawing my mind to where the bag was kept. When I opened the bag, I was shocked to discover that it contained guns and ammunition. In fact, I was restless and I could not hold it until I decided to dump it elsewhere considering its implication. And that was why I went to this uncompleted church building where I broke a part of the fence and hid the bag, with its contents, there.
"That was the beginning of my journey with the robbery gang. Remi convinced me and I later became an effective member and that was how I became the gang's arms keeper. We had taken part in several robbery operations.
"It was early this morning when Remi Ajayi and some armed policemen woke me up from sleep that they needed my attention at the station. But before we left, they asked me to take them to where I kept the bag and I obliged and took them to the church building where I often used as our armoury. And that was the beginning of my travail."
The prime suspect corroborated what other gang members said, noting that she went into crime when she lost her husband of three years.
According to Monsurat, "Life meant nothing to me again considering the fact that my husband died under mysterious circumstances. I suspected he was poisoned by his friends and I vowed to get back at every friend of his, who had a hand in his death. I was in this dilemma when I met these boys and the devil took control of me. I have no excuses. I just want to apologise to Nigerians, especially the womenfolk for this disgrace."
The 33-year-old woman accepted purchasing the first military pistol that the gang had from a military man. The mother of two -Toyin and Taju said, "I hail from Okesuna, Ibadan, Oyo State. I own a beer parlour where I sell liquor and Indian hemp. And every week, I purchase four bags of weed, which I sell. On Monday, I saw my shop attendant, who led some policemen to my Agric-Owutu home.
"It is true that I go out on operation with the boys occasionally anytime I feel like. Nobody thought me how to handle weapons. I did it by practising especially while on operation. Remi always provided us with charms to avoid being shot, detected or arrested. It did work for a while but, you know, what is bad is bad. It would only last for a while."
The DPO of Ikeja Division has promised to transfer the suspects to the anti-robbery section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation. He vowed that the accomplices at large would be apprehended and brought to justice. How soon that will be, only time can tell.