Police arrest graduate, PGD holder among suspected robbers

Two of the suspects arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for snatching cars at gunpoint in Igando, Lagos State, have identified themselves as a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, and a Postgraduate Diploma holder from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

While the first suspect, Ifeoluwa Coker, said he was a student of Biology Education in FUTA, the second, John Odu, said he bagged a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Sciences from UNIPORT in 2001.

Our correspondent also learnt that Coker finished from FUTA with a second-class lower division grade.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday, July 14, that some suspects were arrested by the operatives of the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad for snatching exotic cars and reselling them to unsuspecting Nigerians in the Igando area of Lagos.

Our correspondent learnt that after the police had arrested one Ismaila Kareem, who is said to be the gang leader, Kareem confessed to the police that he had sold a stolen Toyota Camry to Odu for N290,000.

Odu, 39, from Ahoada, Rivers State, when arrested by the police, had confessed that he resold the vehicle to a friend, Promise Nwoke, for N400,000.

When asked why he ventured into buying snatched cars from the gang, Odu lamented that he needed to make ends meet.

He said, “I had relocated to Lagos from Port Harcourt after I was laid off from work. I was previously working with a construction company in Rivers State before most of the workers were laid off. I came to Lagos and I needed to make ends meet. I knew the cars Kareem were selling to me were stolen. He had only sold two cars to me.”

Kareem also said he sold another stolen vehicle to one Desmond in Akure, who was staying with Coker, and that Coker had been the receiver of the vehicle.

However, in his explanation, 28-year-old Coker denied any knowledge that the vehicle he received from Kareem was a stolen vehicle, adding that Desmond had simply sent him to receive the car on his behalf.

He said, “I do not know Desmond has been buying stolen cars. We were living together and he has been a good guardian to me since I gained admission into the university. He sent me to receive the Toyota Camry for him. I do not know anything about the robbery.”

Our correspondent learnt that the FUTA graduate was a cultist while on campus, though he claimed that he never went with them on any operation.

“I was in the Buccaneers Confraternity I joined them when I was in 200 level. But sincerely, I did not go with them on any operation. They liked me because helped them with assignments in class,” Coker said.