The Police in Lagos have arrested an alleged notorious armed robber nick-named Godogodo, whose multiple gangs terrorise most states in the South West with deadly strikes. Weekly Trust gives the last minute account of the operation that captured the ‘most wanted robber’.
The almost two decade reign of terror by Abiodun Ogunjobi, also referred to as ‘Abbey Godogodo’, by men of the underworld came to an abrupt end on Wednesday, July 31. On the said day, a crack team of police detectives from the Lagos State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) stormed his Ibadan palatial home where he was arrested.
Weekly Trust investigations revealed that events which culminated into Godogodo’s arrest started several weeks ago with painstaking intelligence gathering. It also involved the profiling of hundreds of notorious armed robbers who had operated within the Lagos metropolis.
The onus of profiling these robbery suspects, hundreds of them, rested squarely on the shoulders of the Officer-In-charge of SARS, Superintendent of Police (SP) Abba Kyari who had earlier received a matching order from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko to fish out the suspect dead or alive.
Weekly Trust learnt that the recent order was sequel to the July 7th, 2013, gruesome murder of seven persons at O4 Hotel, in Ajah area of Lagos. His gang which was fingered in the crime also killed the owner of the hotel, one Olanrewaju Subair and the subsequent killing of two policemen at Ebute Ero and Ajao Estate areas of the metropolis same day.
An impeccable source at the Command Headquarters told Weekly Trust, in
confidence, that the Lagos police boss, while addressing Area Commanders and their respective Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) stated that he would never allow anybody or group of persons involved in the killing of policemen to go free.
An impeccable source at the Command Headquarters told Weekly Trust, in
confidence, that the Lagos police boss, while addressing Area Commanders and their respective Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) stated that he would never allow anybody or group of persons involved in the killing of policemen to go free.
Armed with this Order, Kyari expanded his drag net within and beyond the South-West area stretching as far as Edo, Delta, Anambra, Imo and Rivers States. It was learnt that the reason behind the expansion was that Kyari had a hunch that Godogodo belong to several other gangs which also operated in other urban cities of the country.
This experiment paid off penultimate Wednesday when the detectives laid ambush around Godogodo’s twin duplex located at Olowu area of Egbeda LGA of Oyo state patiently waiting for him to emerge from his inner chamber.
This experiment paid off penultimate Wednesday when the detectives laid ambush around Godogodo’s twin duplex located at Olowu area of Egbeda LGA of Oyo state patiently waiting for him to emerge from his inner chamber.
Sources close to the Command Headquarters told Weekly Trust that before his arrest the police team expanded their drag net in the hope of closing in on Godogodo. The team of detectives narrowed down their search to a group of about 15 suspected armed robbers who had at one time or the other had something to do with the most wanted notorious armed robbery suspect in the South-West, since after the arrest of famous Anini gang that terrorized Benin City before he was arrested by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Parry Osanyande.
All efforts to arrest him with contacts from his numerous houses in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states failed as not even one member of his gang knew where he lives.
The 36 years-old most wanted armed robber in the South-West, told Weekly Trust at the Command Headquarters on the day he was arrested that, one of his tactics is to drive himself home after each successful operation, having collected his own share of the loot.
“I live a private life and kept everything to myself where I live in Ibadan. I do not attend parties, nor do I visit drinking joints”, he said.
The 36 years-old most wanted armed robber in the South-West, told Weekly Trust at the Command Headquarters on the day he was arrested that, one of his tactics is to drive himself home after each successful operation, having collected his own share of the loot.
“I live a private life and kept everything to myself where I live in Ibadan. I do not attend parties, nor do I visit drinking joints”, he said.
“Similarly, I don’t make calls twice with one SIM card. I have over 1000 different registered SIM cards. I put a SIM card aside the moment I put a call through to anybody and may likely not use same in the next one year,” he said.
Narrating how he was arrested, a police source told Weekly Trust that as days dragged into weeks and weeks into months with no trace of Godogodo, the team decided to kidnap some of his close confidantes and business associates.
“All those interrogated by the police do not know where Godogodo lives” one of them told our reporter.
Narrating how he was arrested, a police source told Weekly Trust that as days dragged into weeks and weeks into months with no trace of Godogodo, the team decided to kidnap some of his close confidantes and business associates.
“All those interrogated by the police do not know where Godogodo lives” one of them told our reporter.
The story that made the round, according to one of the suspects, was that Godogodo is beyond arrest and that he was battle ready for the police anytime they come after him.
“He boasted to some of his colleagues in crime that the police can never arrest him alive. And should they come after him he would kill as many of the policemen before his death” one of the robbers alleged.
“He boasted to some of his colleagues in crime that the police can never arrest him alive. And should they come after him he would kill as many of the policemen before his death” one of the robbers alleged.
The suspect alleged that the fear of Godogodo by other gang members was the beginning of wisdom.
However, the team later stumbled on an information from an arrested lady who gave them the description of where the suspect lives.
Armed with the information, the police set out on the hunt for the suspect. They left the command headquarters at about 11pm in four unmarked vehicles like traders and farmers.
The team arrived the suspect’s mansion at Olowu area of Egbeda local government area of Oyo State at about 2am on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, with the reassuring fact that the suspect was inside.
However, the team later stumbled on an information from an arrested lady who gave them the description of where the suspect lives.
Armed with the information, the police set out on the hunt for the suspect. They left the command headquarters at about 11pm in four unmarked vehicles like traders and farmers.
The team arrived the suspect’s mansion at Olowu area of Egbeda local government area of Oyo State at about 2am on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, with the reassuring fact that the suspect was inside.
Kyari advised his men to lie low and wait when he will emerge from inside his compound. He advised that on no account should they enter Godogodo’s house.
At about 10am, Godogodo emerged dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, on his way to inspect a new house under construction.
The first shot that got him from the police snipers threw him off guard and before he could put together what was happening the entire area was taken over by policemen who took cover waiting for him in the nearby shrubs and bushes.
At about 10am, Godogodo emerged dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, on his way to inspect a new house under construction.
The first shot that got him from the police snipers threw him off guard and before he could put together what was happening the entire area was taken over by policemen who took cover waiting for him in the nearby shrubs and bushes.
A search conducted in Godogodo’s house revealed several exotic cars parked on a neatly laid interlocking stones. A further search led to the discovery of two AK47 rifles, over a 1000 SIM cards of different networks, and police bullet proof vest.
He was said to be living with his wife, two children and a lady.
He was said to be living with his wife, two children and a lady.
“I started robbery in 1996 and in 1999 I was charged for fighting and I spent more than seven years in prison. My prolonged stay in prison for the minor crime of fighting hardened me and I vowed to pay back the police for that injustice,” he revealed.
“After I was released I went to Katanguar, in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos to meet my friend Odun, who was arrested by the police recently at O4 Hotel in Ajah”.
“Odun was an armed robber then and we started operating together. We worked with several other gangs and I invested lots of my money in arms
buying. I also built five houses in Ifo, Ilaro, Ikorodu and Ibadan. I usually kill policemen and take their rifles because policemen have killed several of my boys and taken most of my rifles from them.
“After I was released I went to Katanguar, in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos to meet my friend Odun, who was arrested by the police recently at O4 Hotel in Ajah”.
“Odun was an armed robber then and we started operating together. We worked with several other gangs and I invested lots of my money in arms
buying. I also built five houses in Ifo, Ilaro, Ikorodu and Ibadan. I usually kill policemen and take their rifles because policemen have killed several of my boys and taken most of my rifles from them.
“I have no regrets for all I have done. I have no advice for young people who want to become armed robbers like me. I have three children from three women. The police should take all my property,” the suspect said.
The Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, confirmed to journalists shortly after the arrest that the suspect was responsible for the alleged killing of many policemen and civilians in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states in the last 12 years.
The Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, confirmed to journalists shortly after the arrest that the suspect was responsible for the alleged killing of many policemen and civilians in Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states in the last 12 years.
On Sunday, July 14, 2013, a deadly gang of robbers, led by notorious robbery czar, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka, Godogodo, attacked a warehouse belonging to Blessing Aporie Nigeria Limited at Ajao Estate area of Lagos State and carted away mobile phones worth more than N50 million.
The robbers also killed a policeman on guard at the warehouse, leaving one other with severe bullet wounds.
Five members of that gang were later killed by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, during a shoot-out along Eko Bridge while three others escaped with bullet wounds.
However, operatives of SARS, led by Superintendent of Police, Abba Kyari, have arrested the three bandits who escaped during the shoot-out and they have confessed to the crime and narrated how Godogodo led them through the operation, which turned out to be his last in Lagos.
Sources at SARS said four teams of operatives were deployed that night to track down the robbers when news of the incident and the attack on policemen filtered in.
The trail
Vanguard gathered that the team which was deployed to Surulere area, spotted a Honda space bus, matching the description of the one used by the robbers and they chased it up to the Eko Bridge where a gun battle ensued, leaving four persons dead while three escaped. One of the suspects identified as Ganiu Mental was arrested with bullet wounds.
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “Mental told us that Godogodo led the operation and that they snatched two Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicles, SUVs, from the Island, where they also killed a policeman. He provided us with the information that led to the arrest of the three other bandits that escaped earlier.”
The source added that the police arrested the first suspect, Ahmed Adelawo, who sustained bullet injury on his leg, when they intercepted conversation between him and a native doctor, whom he paid N15,000 to prepare a charm that will prevent the police from arresting him.
“We arrested the native doctor and we used him to arrest Adelawo in Ikotun, where he was receiving treatment for his bullet wound.
“We then used Adelowo to arrest Leke Ayinde and Abiodun Yinusa,” the source said.
Meantime, the arrest of Yinusa didn’t come easy as he fled from Lagos State after the robbery incident.
The source said: “He ran to Akwa Ibom State when he learnt that we had arrested Adelawo, but he came back last Wednesday to attend to a case he had in court for stealing. Our operatives got information and stormed the court and arrested him on his way out.
The Ajao Estate operation
“When the bandits were brought before Godogodo who was arrested penultimate Thursday in Egbeda area of Ibadan, after a massive manhunt by SARS operatives, they explained that they brought in Godogodo to help them dislodge the mobile policemen that were on guard at the warehouse where the robbery took place.
Yinusa, who is a resident of Ajao Estate, said: “ I owned the job. I was the one who got Adelawo and others involved. I, Adelawo and Chuks have been operating within Ajao Estate because we are all residents of that area and we are familiar with the terrain.
“The warehouse is located at the spot where I usually go to smoke Indian hemp and I know they used to store expensive mobile phones.
“I have also assisted them in off loading one of their containers, an opportunity I seized to survey the place. Three months ago, I, Adelawo and Chuks went to rob at the warehouse and we stole phones worth only N200,000.
“We couldn’t get into the place where the expensive phones were stored. After that operation, the owner of the warehouse changed the doors, installed security camera and they also brought some armed mobile policemen to guard the place.
Godogodo’s involvement
“My friend, Adelawo, got broke and he said he wanted us to attack the warehouse again. I told him that it would be difficult because there were policemen on guard, he said he knew people who could repel policemen and get what ever they wanted.
“I told him to contact them. One of them was Godogodo.
“On the night of that operation, Godogodo came to Ajao Estate in two Range Rover SUVs and he called us to lead them to the place. On arrival, they cut the key to the gate of the warehouse, Godogodo and his friends went into the security house, opened fire on a policeman on guard and collected his rifle, uniform and bullet proof shirt.
“Then they smashed the wall to the warehouse with a sledge hammer and gained entrance into the warehouse. After about 30 minutes, they loaded the SUVs with mobile phones and other gadgets.
“But on our way out, some policemen who attempted to confront us were repelled by Godogodo’s superior fire power and we escaped.
5 members killed
“We drove down to a street in Oshodi where we shared our loot, but on our way to the Island, where we wanted to drop off Ganiu Mental, the policemen accosted us and killed five members of our gang. I managed to escape. I don’t know how Adelawo and Ayinde escaped.”
I didn’t know mobile phones were target—Godogodo
Reacting to the narrative, Godogodo told Vanguard that he wasn’t aware that their target in that operation was mobile phones warehouse.
“I am bigger than mobile phones, I can’t steal such anymore. These boys told me that there was N70 million in that warehouse; that was why I went with them.
“If I had known that what we were going to steal were just mobile phones, I wouldn’t have followed them. Yes, they told me that policemen were there so I was prepared. I carried over 300 rounds of live ammunition, so I could stand any attack. I don’t know these boys even if I see them on the road.”
Source : Weekly Trust and vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment