Detectives attached to Igando Police Station, Iba Road, Lagos State on Tuesday morning arrested two men who allegedly just arrived from Delta State, via the waterway, into Lagos State to carry out a bank robbery.
The two suspects have been identified as Chinedu Okoro and Keme Patrick.
The suspects were arrested after their motorbike was flagged down by policemen who were on routine patrol duty.
Two other motorbikes, carrying about two passengers, refused to obey the policemen and disappeared.
Preliminary investigations showed that Okoro is just a hired motorbike rider, while Patrick just arrived from Delta State, with others now at large, to carry out a bank robbery.
The bank robbery was scheduled for Abule Egba on Friday.
The suspect, who claimed to be a cousin of renowned Niger Delta militant, Tom Ateke, said he was also a former Niger Delta militant.
Fielding questions from detectives at Igando division, Patrick said he only knew the name of the area, but not the particular bank they would be attacking.
He further confessed to have taken part in the FESTAC Town robbery, where dynamites were used to blow up banks before robbers in military uniforms entered the banks and carted away millions of naira.
A mother and her child were killed by the robbers’ stray bullets.
A police source said: “On Tuesday, at about 6am, policemen from Igando Police Station were on ‘Stop and Search’ duty when they sighted three motorbikes.
“Two of the motorbikes had two passengers and golf bags.
“The police flagged down them down, but two refused to stop.
“The policemen were able to arrest the motorbike, which was in the middle.
“The golf bag was searched.
“AK47 rifle, 81 round of ammunitions and six magazines, two mobile policemen uniforms, two mobile police caps, two military belts and one camouflage uniform were found inside the bag.”
The source explained that the suspects were taken to Igando Police Station, where Patrick confessed that Okoro was just a cyclist engaged to take him to a particular destination.
During interrogation, Patrick said he was related to Ateke Tom.
The source added: “He said he was a former militant.
“He said that he had been arrested before and taken to SARS in Lagos.
“He was charged to court by SARS, but granted bail by the court three months ago.
“He said that they just arrived Lagos State via the waterways just minutes ago before our men arrested them.”
Patrick also told detectives that he and other gang members were supposed to meet at Abule Egba to fine tune the robbery, which was supposed to take place on Friday, before they were arrested.
According to him, the three motorbikes were all heading to Abule Egba.
The police disclosed: “They are supposed to meet at Abule Egba, where they would carry out the bank robbery.
“Patrick said he didn’t know Abule Egba.
“He said that the two motorbike riders that escaped were leading him to Abule Egba.
“He said the two motorbike riders and their passengers were part of their robbery gang.
“He said that they are the people that know the bank that would be robbed on Friday morning.”
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