The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lagos on Monday
arrested six suspected members of an armed robbery gang, which specialised in
stealing exotic cars, amongst them was a chieftain of the All Progressives’
Congress in Ekiti State.
He was identified as
Honourable Odeyemi Itunnu,according to the police, Itunnu is also a Local
Government Executive in Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State.
The police said they recovered 17 of their stolen cars in different parts of the country, most of which were Toyota and Honda models.
Three assorted guns were also recovered from them. Itunnu
confessed that he gave Omoniyi Ajewole a locally made gun to protect him during
the election period in Ekiti State.
The Ekiti State governorship election was held on June 21.
The police said the gun had been recovered.
Itunnu said: “Omoniyi (Ajewole) is my political thug.
I
brought him to my place and gave him a gun to secure me. Actually, I have never
participated in any robbery operation, but he used to escort me with the gun.
All of us, who are chieftains, were given slots in the state and we were
working for the state government.
“Every political party, including ours, has
factions.
That was why I gave him the gun, so that he could always protect me
wherever I went. I also told him to be with me, particularly as the Ekiti
election then was approaching.
“But before the elections, I just saw the police
then coming to my house to arrest me. I had seen the gun on the ground during
the 2007 elections violence in the state and had kept it.”
Other members of the
robbery gang are Omoniyi Ajewole, Oluseye Jacob, Oluwadamiliare Rasaki, Ajisafe
Olawale, Ogunniyi Sunday, Tolani Babatunde, Abubakar Umar, Odeyemi Itunnu and
Ayodeji Olumudi.\
The gang met its waterloo after the arrest of Ajewole, 28.
Ajewole alleged that Itunnu was his political godfather.
The police explained
that the suspects were arrested after they received a complaint from a victim
who had allegedly being robbed of two vehicles.
The victim told the police that
aside from the two vehicles, he was also dispossessed of other valuables. He
said the incident occurred on June 27, 2013 at his Ile-Ife, Osun State
residence.
The case was later transferred to the FSARS. Ajewole said: “He gave
me the gun to use in protecting him during any campaign violence.
But I had not
yet used the gun before I was arrested in September 2013. I am not a robber. I
prefer to be called a political thug.
“I was the only one the Honourable gave a
gun and he was also paying me salaries.”
The Force Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Frank Mba, addressing journalists, said that all the suspects connected
with the crime would soon be arraigned before a court of law for the criminal
charges preferred against them.
Mba added: “This is a case that started on June
27, 2013 after a Nigerian was robbed of two vehicles and other valuables and he
had reported to the police.
This arrest is one of the achievements of the
federal SARS. “It led to the arrest of nine suspects who were clearly linked
with not just the armed robbery reported, but a series of such in several parts
of the country.
An interesting aspect of the arrest is that Ajewole confessed
to the police that he is not an armed robber but a political thug working for
Honourable Odeyemi Itunnu from Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.
“We want to warn
politicians to steer clear of actions that are capable of posing a threat to
the security of the country.
Meanwhile, all the suspects will soon be arraigned
before a competent court of law.”
The cars recovered are: · Toyota Highlander
Jeep Model 2008 with Reg. No. GWA-489-BC,
· One Toyota Matrix car Model 2007,
Reg. No. RSH-196-DA and other personal effects belonging to the said victim.
·
One Toyota RAV-4 Jeep with Reg. No. EPE-477-AC, ·
Two unregistered Toyota
Highlander Jeeps, ·
Two unregistered Toyota Saloon Cars, 2012 model,
·
One unregistered
Toyota Camry 2009 model, ·
One Toyota Avensis Saloon Car with Reg. No.
EKY-989-AX, ·
One M/Benz E-Class 350 Series with Reg. No. LND-919-EC, ·
One Honda Accord Coupe with Reg. No. EKY-857-CH, ·
One Toyota Camry car with Reg.
No. YEN-902-SY. ·
One Toyota Highlander with Reg. No. GWA-489-BC, ·
One Toyota Camry with Reg. No. AKD-882-AC, ·
One unregistered Toyota RAV-4 2009 model.
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