Three suspects who operated in military uniforms have given details of how they shot and stabbed to death Sanni Adeniyi, an aide of the representative of Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
This was as the Commissioner, Lagos State Police Command, Idowu Owohunwa, spoke on atrocities of freed criminals.
Owohunwa said the country’s prisons were breeding criminals as those who killed Adeniyi and dispossessed him of his car were all set free from a custodial centre.
Owohunwa expressed his concern on Monday while parading Alfred Tokunbo, Lucky Michael and Segun Adedigba in connection with the killing of Adeniyi.
He said the three suspects have been arrested and sentenced many times for various crimes and jail terms, stressing that while serving their sentences, they were connected to criminal gangs outside.
The police chief said the suspects were also connected to international criminal suspects from the custodial Centres.
The CP said: “Our custodial centres, unfortunately, still remain the breeding ground for criminal elements that will find their way out to the system, come out more vicious, more armed, more hardened, more heartless to threaten the internal security space.
“We are still exploring the depth of this situation and the good thing is that the attention of the Inspector-General of Police and Governor of Lagos State have been drawn to this.
“We are sure that the findings of this investigation will be utilised to escalate this concern.”
Owohunwa said he was also worried about the fact that the judicial system was unwittingly contributing to some of the challenges experienced by law enforcement officers.
He added: “As I specifically mentioned, on multiple occasions, the suspects have been processed through the judicial system and they always come out free.
“The appeal here is that as much as we are interested in advancing the cause of justice, it is expedient that we also appeal that we find the balance between justice administration, criminal justice delivery and overriding internal security situations in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
“That will help us as law enforcement.
“It will lessen the loads on us in terms of recycling suspects.
“It is a major problem we are witnessing of late in Lagos State.”
The police boss said his third concern was a highly complex case, which has to do with notorious criminal cells, with a transnational network, threatening the security and peace of Lagos.
Owohunwa pointed out that most of the vehicles stolen from Lagos and taken to Cotonou may possibly be recycled back into the Nigerian market, stressing that whoever falls into the temptation of buying them stands the risk of being brought to justice.
On the usage of military uniform by suspected criminals, Owohunwa said most of the criminals only disguised themselves as military officials while carrying out their criminal activities.
He added: “Another worrisome component is the resort to impersonating the military in order to perfect their crime.
“When it occurs, there is always a wide concern and outcry that military men are involved.
“Through the painstaking investigative and intelligence activities of the Nigeria Police, we have been able to establish that the brains behind this crime only took advantage by acquiring military kits, uniforms and accoutrements.
“They do this in order to deceive the public, the victims and perfect their crimes.
“Some of these kits are gotten from open markets.”
The police boss said that they have, to a large extent, disrupted the current network of the criminals.
He assured that the Lagos State Police Command will allow residents of the state to have the space they require to enjoy their liberty.
Owohunwa said: “No matter how long, no matter how short, the long arms of the law will definitely catch up with criminals.
“We have the capacity, we have the orientation, we have the motivation.
“This is a clear statement.
“No matter how complex it is to go after them, we pursue them until we bring them to justice.”
In the specific case of Adeniyi, Owohunwa said: “Their modus operandi includes stationing one gang member some metres from Berger Bus Stop to spot unregistered vehicles.
“The spotter then calls his gang members, who are dressed in military fatigues and stationed somewhere around Berger Bus Stop, to inform them of the approaching vehicle.
“Once they stop their victim, they request for the vehicle customs papers, explaining that they would need to clear security and Customs checks.
“In this incident, after seeing the papers, they insisted on taking their victim to their base.
“Once they entered the vehicle, it dawned on Mr. Sanni that they were robbers.
“He called out for help, which made the robbers shoot him thrice and further stabbed him.
“They dropped his corpse by the roadside and drove to Kuto, Abeokuta, where they cleaned up the blood stains in the rear seats of the vehicle and same night, proceeded with the vehicle to the border town of Chikunda in Kwara State, where the criminal receiver took delivery of the car.
“They have other cells operating across the country.
“Being a transnational crime, the command is involving the Interpol for the apprehension of this criminal receiver and financier.”
The suspects, who are all ex-convicts and arrested in different parts of the South West, narrated how they attacked and killed Adeniyi.
Fred, 43; Idudu, 33; and Segun said they have been parading as military personnel in order to compel their victims to stop when flagged down.
Items recovered from them included two Brownie pistols with three rounds of live ammunition in each and a locally-made cut-to-size pistol with six live cartridges as well as six expended cartridges, military gear, comprising a camouflage vest, jungle hat holster and jungle boots.
In addition, one Red Honda CRV with number plate, EKY 276 JD, said to have been hijacked by a yet-to-be-identified victim, was recovered from them.
Fred, an indigene of Lagos State, told newsmen: “I am from Lagos Island.
“At 11:30pm, Segun spotted the car and alerted us.
“Lucky was putting on a military uniform and cap.
“He also held a torch light.
“We stopped the car and I walked to the other side and asked the man to show me the customs documents.
“He started making a call, but I didn’t know who exactly he was talking to.
“He said the document was inside the car.
“He started shouting, asking what else we wanted since he had given us the particulars.
“He started shouting for help and at the same time, shouting ‘thief’.
“He came out of the car and started running.
“I fired two bullets from my gun.
“Lucky also shot at him and the man fell.
“Segun and I pulled him into the back seat and we drove off.
“Yet, he kept shouting.
“Segun, who sat with him at the back stabbed him with a knife in the chest.
“I asked why he did that because the plan was not to kill him.
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“We dropped his body by the road and drove to the border town of Chikunda in Kwara State, from where we called Alhaji.
“He sent someone who passed us through the border into the Benin Republic.
“We negotiated N3 million for the car, but Alhaji told us to drop the vehicle and leave, with a promise to send money to us the next time we brought another vehicle.
“But he never made the payment until we were arrested.”