We sold ex-CAN president’s jeep for N600,000 ─ Suspect

A notorious member of the robbery gang that specialised in kidnapping and snatching of expensive cars in Ogun State, Akinde Olawale, said the gang sold a Prado jeep snatched from a former president, Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Jasper Akinola, for N600,000.

He made this confession while he was paraded before in Abeokuta with other two members of the gang, Azeez Ogunsola and Akingbade Kaleyemi.

Akinola, who is the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, identified the suspects as those who snatched his vehicle in December last year.

The market value of the jeep was put at N16m.

He said, “We sold the jeep to one Alhaji in Cotonou for N600,000 and my share from that operation was N200,000.”

When asked the name of the Alhaji, he said he could not remember, and he could not also remember the number of expensive cars they had snatched.

He told the police that he was a member of the notorious gang led by robbery kingpin, Abiodun Ogunjobi, popularly known as Godogodo, who was arrested in August last year.

Olawale explained that many of his neighbours knew him as a taxi driver adding that through the proceeds of robbery, he had built three houses in Ogun State.

He added, “I have two wives and three children, but they don’t live with me. And they don’t know what I do.

“I have been a robber for the past six years. Now, I regret taking to armed robbery. Please, tell the policemen to have mercy on me.”

The men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in the state arrested Olawale, also known as Wewe, and Baba Oloye, with members of his gang last Sunday while they were about to attack the Baptist Church at Ota, in the Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye,   while parading the three suspects which belonged to the robbery syndicate that had robbed prominent Nigerians including former football legend, Segun Odegbami, said the state would have peace.

He said, “While I want to commend our men for this breakthrough in the arrest of the notorious gang, I must add that the state will now heave a sigh of relief.

“This gang had been terrorising the state for sometime before they were apprehended last week. We recovered four AK-47, seven pistols, and assorted charms from them.”