Caught Most Wanted Criminals Pleads For Amnesty.

There was a mild drama at the office of the Lagos State Police Commissioner in Ikeja on Friday as three suspects, who were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, were paraded before the House Committee on Police Affairs.

The suspects, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka Godogodo; Felix Sunday, aka K Money; and Nwanyim Uche; pleaded for amnesty.

Godogodo had been described by the police as the most wanted criminal in the South West for the past 10 years.

He told the lawmakers that he had built six houses from his loot and never kept money in the bank in order not to be traced by security agents.

He said, “I never drank, womanised or attended social events. Such vices made one vulnerable and made it easy for the police to find and arrest you. I had no friends. I never kept money; I used all of it to build the houses.

“We don’t kill policemen except on one occasion when we went to rob in Ajah area of Lagos State. On that particular day, we had ended the robbery operation and were on our way back when my friend, Odun spotted a police patrol van. Odun opened fire and killed all of them because he needed their AK 47 rifles.

“The unfortunate thing about crime is that you never have peace of mind. The police were always after me and I never lived in one particular house for more than a year. I regret my action now and I would be happy if I am given amnesty.”

The other robbery suspect, K Money, who was among the robbers that attacked bureau de change operators at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and killed two policemen, said the gang made $4m (N600m) in the operation.

He said he got N45m and became a car dealer.

He said, “I set up a showroom and registered my company. I bought many Tokunbo (foreign used vehicles) from Cotonou  (Benin Republic)and started selling them.

“When policemen started chasing me and my boys, I was completely disorganised and the business suffered. I plead for mercy sir.”

Uche was said to be a member of the gang that kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Mr. Kehinde Bamgbetan; and a High Court judge.

The Officer in Charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, told the lawmakers that Uche’s cohorts were killed during a shootout with his men a few months ago.

Kyari explained that the modus operandi of Uche’s gang was to kidnap their victim, keep him in a house in the Agbara area of Ogun State while Uche would watch over him. The rest of the gang would then relocate to a hotel and negotiate a ransom with the victim’s family.

After collecting the ransom, the suspects would flee to Ghana for some months before returning for another operation.

Uche, while weeping profusely, said, “I never knew I would be involved in such a thing, I never knew I could stoop so low in life. I plead for mercy.”

The lawmakers, who commended the police for the remarkable achievements, berated the suspects for their dastardly acts.

A member of the committee, Udo Ibeji, said, “Now, you people (suspects) are pleading for mercy. You are all able-bodied men, why didn’t you work like other members of society? If you are set free, what of the innocent civilians and policemen you have killed?”