Robber plans robbery operation from prison

Two robbery suspects, Mutiu Onifade and Taofeek Adeosun, have told detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos State how one of their friends, simply identified as Ramoni, organized them to carry out a robbery operation, while still in prison.
The gang met its waterloo on the fateful day of the operation at Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos State.
Onifade and Adeosun are still being quizzed by SARS operatives.
The two suspects claimed that they did not know each other from Adam until Ramoni, who is still in incarceration, called each of them at different times, telling them about each other.
The two men also told the police that they both met Ramoni while they were in prison.
While both men denied going to prison for robbery, they alleged Ramoni was serving term for robbery.
A police source said: “On January, 1, 2014 the suspects came to Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos on a robbery operation. In the process of the robbery, both of them were caught.
“They came for the operation with two double barrel pistol, and about four cartridges. They also came in a Nissan Sunny Salon car. The incident happened in the evening. People around the neighbourhood raised the alarm that robbers were operating.”
It was further gathered that immediately SARS operatives received the distress call, they raced to the scene and arrested the two robbers.
It was after their arrest that preliminary investigations revealed that the robbers had been in prison in the past.
Onifade and Adeosun, at different periods, were imprisoned in Ibara Prisons, Ogun State.
Onifade, 27, married with a child, said: “I’m a generator mechanic. I once had a shop, but when the roads were being expanded, my shop was affected and subsequently demolished.”
Narrating how he found himself in SARS custody, Onifade said: “I was arrested because Ramoni called me to go and collect money from somebody for him. He said I and Taofeek should collect the money at Iyana Ipaja. When we got there, police arrested us.”
According to Onifade, “Ramoni is still in Ibara Prison. It was from the prison he called me to meet Taofeek Adeosun for the robbery. I met Taofeek at Abule-Egba. It was from there we proceeded to Iyana-Ipaja were we were arrested.”
He recounted how the gang got their gun from someone in Benin Republic: “We got our guns from someone in Benin Republic. The man who provided the gun is from Republic of Benin. It was Ramoni that knows him. Ramoni gave us the Alhaji’s phone number and I went to him to collect the guns. The Alhaji gave me the gun and said I should not worry, that he would discuss with Ramoni.”
Recalling how he landed in Ibara prison, Onifade said: “Yes, it’s true. I’ve been to prison before. It was a friend of mine, who led me to prison. He goes out most Mondays and comes back at weekend. Whenever he comes back, he gives me N2,000 or N3,000. I used the money to start a daily contribution. I had a fairly used motorbike, so I told him I wanted to sell it for N40,000. He said he will give me N20,000, to add to the N20,000 I had. For three months, he did not pay the N20,000 and the motorbike was still with me. After three months, as I needed money, I sold it.”
As soon as Onifade sold the motorbike, his friend came with police to arrest him.
“I spent four months in the prison before I was released as he later wrote a withdrawal letter. It was there, in the prison, that I met Ramoni. I never knew him before then.”
Adeosun, 24, said he was an automobile mechanic, married with three kids.
According to him, he was arrested after he was called by Onifade to meet him somewhere. When he got there, he was arrested.
He added: “There was a day Mutiu called me on phone. I did not know him before. I believe it was Ramoni who is still in prison that gave him my number. I know Ramoni in prison yard when I had problem.
“Mutiu told me he was coming to Lagos to meet someone at Iyana Ipaja. He called me on December 29. He said he will come to Lagos on January, 1.
“When he got to Lagos, he called and informed me that he was already at Abule-Egba. I picked my car and drove to meet and pick him at Abule-Egba. He told me to take him to Iyana-Ipaja that he wanted to meet somebody there.
“When we got to Iyana-Ipaja, he asked me to park. I parked and remained inside the car. He called the person on phone. After Mutiu came, it was not up to 10 minutes before the police came to arrest us. It was around 6pm. He is the one that knew where we were going to rob. I have never robbed before. Ramoni knows my number because when I was leaving the prison, I gave them my number.”
He explained that he landed in Ibara prison for murder. He said: “A friend of mine gave me a car to repair. After repairing the car, he refused to pay me my workmanship. I went to ask him for my money. He tried to fight me, but I left him. He later came to my house to meet me. Another quarrel ensued. I told him that he was the one who owed me and has come to fight me. As we were pushing ourselves, he fell down and died.
“My family went to meet with his family. They withdrew the case. They said they should go and bury the boy. I spent more than a year in the prison. I feel bad that I was arrested for robbery. I have already got there before I knew it was a robbery mission.”