SARS arrest Lebanese nursing mother over robbery
•Other gang members also in police netThe arrest of a suspected female robber Amira Abudallahi, 32, is one rare case of women involvement in armed robbery. Amira who hails from Lebanon is a divorcee and mother of five.
According to the police, Amira though a nursing mother of a six month old baby, allegedly belonged to a gang arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad attached to the Lagos State police command for allegedly robbing bureau de change operators in Abuja and Lagos.
The police operatives recovered $13million cash from Amira’s gang members. Other items recovered from them include exotic cars and cash in both local and foreign currencies. Narrating how she got into crime,Amira said. “I am an interior designer.
I just had a baby, my baby is six months old. I got into crime while I was still pregnant. This is like a year but I became an active member six months ago after I had my baby.
What I do for the gang is that I converse with prospective victims on the phone. The leader of our gang known as Senator gave me the numbers to call. He told me what to say and then I call the victim.
Cash and other eqipment recovered from the robber
Amira who said she regretted her involvement in crime said she became desperate to fend for her children and her business was not making profits.
She said “I am not proud of myself neither am I proud of what has happened, I just hope I can make a positive change on the society, I pray God will give me the opportunity to do so in the future, I believe no one is above mistake and I believe God will grant me grace.
“Like I said what I did was wrong nobody is above mistake, it was my financial responsibility and the economic situation of the country that led me into the gang”. The Lagos State Police commissioner of police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, said Amira belonged to a gang that specialised in impersonating operatives of EFCC to rob bureau de change operator in Abuja and Lagos state.
The CP gave the names of the suspects as Princewill Eze, aka senator Nwobodo, 55; Amira Abudallahi, 32; Daniel Okpara, 30; Paul Irior, 37; Bassey Williams Ekpenyong, 39; and Royal Nwabuike, 32, were arrested in Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja respectively. CP Aderanti said Amira was arrested following the confession of other members of the gang.
He said, “February 25, 2015 at about 5p.m., I received information about a gang of armed robbers who use EFCC uniform, handcuffs to rob bureau de change operators in Abuja and Lagos States of foreign currencies including dollars pounds sterling and Euro.
“As soon as we got the information, I immediately directed the OC Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS)SP Abba Kyari to launch a massive manhunt. The manhunt paid off as they detectives tracked and arrested the kingpin, one Princewill Eze, aka senator Nwobodo, who lives in Ajah on February 27, 2015 at about 4pm. His confession led to the arrest of a female member of the gang, a Lebanese nationale, one Amira Abudallahi and other members of the gang”.
According to the Lagos Police boss , “the suspects who were arrested in Delta, Abuja, Ogun and Lagos states have all confessed to have carried out several robberies in Lagos and Abuja.
Also during the follow up, One Bryco59 pistol with serial no 930945 with six rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, single barrel pistol cut to size with four live cartridges, Toyota highlander ash colour with registration number, No LSR 110 DB, Toyota highlander Maroon colour with registration number No LSR 671 DK, Toyota highlander ash colour with registration number Toyota highlander jeep Maroon colour with registration number No KTU380 DK, Toyota Sienna 2012 model, with registration number JJ424CQ, Toyota Forerunner with registration number KRD 449 DG, one Toyota Camry Saloon car unregistered four million naira (N4,000,000) cash and thirteen thousand US dollars (S13,000) cash) have been recovered”.
Fleet of cars seized from the gang.
I am from Nkanu LGA in Enugu state. I am married with five children. I was into hospitality business before I ventured into robbery. My gang members know me as Senator. The senator name is an appellation.
I don’t hold a political position. I live in a rented apartment at VGC. I do not own the house. Some of my daughters are in school abroad. “I didn’t recruit anyone of them into the gang; they all joined the gang on their own freewill because they are all adults. We have made about N15m.
I have used the money to buy different property, but the police have seized them all. I bought different vehicles too” Narrating their modus operandi, the dismissed police corporal said, “We don’t use guns. I was serving with CMS Mopol 2, Lagos. I built a house in Benin. I met the senator in 2014. My role was to act as a policeman.
I wear uniforms and pose with my gang members who are fake EFCC officials. Any time they have a deal, they invite me. Sometimes, I get a million naira after an operation. “They usually pretend to be EFCC official and we will tell the victims that we have cases against them.
“The victims would bring the money to us in convenient places like hotels and banks so we can drop the borgus allegation against them. I also run a hotel. I have been in this gang for about five years. I was arrested by the police four years ago for a similar issue, but got bail from court. “The police gadgets like the Walkie Talkie recovered from me were obtained during the Anambra elections. I was not into politics, but I was part of that election.” Another suspect Royal Nwabuike, said, “I am 32 years old.
I went to Auchi Polytechnic, from there, I went to Delta State University. Upon graduation I got a job as a real estate and property manager in Onistha. Later the company closed down.
After the company closed down, I went to a marine school that enabled me to work in the sea, unfortunately the company was sold to an Indian who retrenched all the workers and we weren’t paid any gratuity.
“It was at this point my friend called Bassey introduced me to the Senator who is the gang leader. Senator promised to help me secure employment in a company. When I called senator he told me to meet him at Eko Meridian hotel in Lagos where he lodged.
After explaining to him, he said he will get back to me the next day but he didn’t. About three weeks later, he called me and asked me to meet him in a secured location.
“When I got there, he asked me to enter his vehicle. He told me that there was someone he wanted me to meet that will give me a large amount of money. He said I should tell them that I am from EFCC. At the time, we had not started using the EFCC vest. Senator is the one that told the victims that they were from EFCC, and that they have charges of corruption.
Most of the victims would prefer to settle rather than go to EFCC office. I have gone to about seven operations I have made close to ten million naira; I used part of the proceeds to buy a Forerunner, 2004 model, N2.4 million.
The remaining money is in my account and my wife’s account. I also rented and furnished the house where I live in Lagos. I also built a house in my village. I am married with a kid,” the suspect narrated.
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