factory worker invites gang to rob his boss in Lagos

Two members of a five-man robbery gang in the Igando area of the state, have been nabbed by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command.

Abraham Robinson and Seyi Shomefun, the suspects were arrested after robbing the manager of sachet water factory, Hamadig Pure Water Company, on Aminat Burdge Street, Igando.

According to Punch, a worker at the factory planned the entire robbery. He has been identified as Israel.

The said Israel who is still on the run had suggested his boss got rob because he was broke.He agreed to give his accomplices part of the money looted.

The manager was said to have been attacked on September 13 and allegedly dispossessed of N200,000.

A police source told our correspondent on Thursday that the manager managed to escape from the scene and raised the alarm, which led to the arrest of one of the robbers, Robinson.

The source said, 

“Israel is a casual worker at Hamadig Pure Water Company in Igando. He contacted Shomefun to bring robbers to the company to rob his manager. Shomefun went to the Mowo area, Badagry, to get other gang members. They are one Akin, aka BJ; Robinson and one other.

“Shomefun had earlier parked his Honda Accord on the company’s premises in order to study the manager’s movement. On that day, at about 8.30pm, the robbers came. They successfully robbed their victim of N200,000.

“He was lucky to escape from the robbers and raised the alarm and Robinson was eventually arrested. His confession led to the arrest of the second suspect, Shomefun, who also confessed to his roles in the crime.”

Somefun, 37, told PUNCH Metro that, “I am a sculptor. My friend, Seyi, who is working at the factory, asked me to arrange some boys to rob his boss. He said he was broke. I contacted BJ, who invited two of his friends. But I was not around on the day they went for the operation. We did not have the intention to harm the man. We only wanted to get some money from him.”

Robinson, a father of two children, stated that “I was a commercial driver. I lost the job some months ago and met with BJ to help me get another job. He asked me to come to his house in Badagry. When I visited him, he told me that he and some people were planning a robbery operation at a sachet water factory in Igando and he asked me to join them.

“He said if we succeeded in the operation, I would get enough money to start a business. But unfortunately, I was arrested that evening. I want the police to have mercy on me. I have never participated in this kind of thing before.”

The PolicePublic Relations Officer in Lagos State, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said investigations were ongoing on the case, adding that the command had intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing members of the gang.