Joy Anyim
A 39-year-old mother of four, Chinyere Ogueri, arrested for alleged robbery in Lagos, has said the pressure to fend for her children and the desire to make quick money led her into crime.
The Imo State-born Ogueri, a widow, claimed that after she lost her husband to the cold hands of death, the responsibilities of feeding, rent, school fees for the four children fell on her shoulders.
She claimed to have relocated to Lagos from Owerri, the Imo State capital in December 2020, in search of greener pasture but ran into the gang of fraudsters, who initiated her into the illegality.
Arrested alongside 63-year-old Anoche Uko, and 49-year-old Kingsley Ojukwu, Ogueri claimed it was on her first day at work that the gang was rounded up by the police.
The three suspects who were paraded by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos State Police Command, Hakeem Odumosu, recently, had allegedly defrauded a victim of N70,000 in 2018.
It was learnt that the victim again ran into the gang, who operate with a Toyota Camry saloon car with the registration quantity LSR 684 CQ, for one-chance robbery at Ogba and raised the alarm.
Operatives of the CP’s Special Squad who were on duty around the area swiftly responded to the call for help and arrested three of the suspects, while the others fled.
Making a confessional statement, Ogueri said: “Sincerely I did not plan my life this way. My late husband was the breadwinner of the family, but upon his death in the early part of 2020, the responsibility to cater for my four children fell on my shoulders.
“I relied on friends for a few months, but what I was getting could not take care of the family needs, especially school fees. I even had an accident and sustained an injury on my leg. So a friend told me to come to Lagos, that she would introduce me to a job that would put money in my hands regularly.
“After much agitation, I left my four children with my mother in Owerri and headed for Lagos in December 2020. On getting to Lagos, Ikotun to be precise, my friend told me she was into prostitution. At first, I was reluctant to join the trade, but after much convincing, I had to give in. However, it was surprising that days into the job, the money was not flowing as my friend had painted it. Some days, I scarcely had customers.
“I met a man who visits the hotel frequently. We discussed for a while and I told him how financial challenges forced me into prostitution. He promised to help me and then told me about the one-chance robbery. He said I didn’t have to carry a gun or physically hurt anyone to make good money.
“Unfortunately, it was on the day I choose to join them that the gang was intercepted by the police.”
Asked how the gang operates, the widow said they stationed their vehicle at busy bus-stops in Lagos calling out for passengers, and then strike.
“When the passengers board the vehicle, we bring up discussions on supposed money we are carrying. We lure the victim into our discussion, greedy persons will give in and then we make them withdraw from their account to get the millions we promise them. We thereafter abscond,” she said.
On her regrets, the suspect said: “I would have just continued to manage until fortune smiles at me. Perhaps my desire to make money at all cost led to this misfortune.”
Similarly, Uko, alleged to be the gang leader, denied involvement in defrauding the victim of N70,000 in 2018.
“I am from Mgbidi in Imo State, and it was the condition of things that led me to this one-chance robbery. Also, it was not my gang that defrauded the victim of N70,000 in 2018. What we do is local 419. If someone enters our vehicle, we start talking about the money we are carrying.
“I started this trade in 2019, and I have not made much profit, because if I had, I would have built at least a house. ”
Also, Ojukwu said: “I have been doing this for three years. I have not made much money as it is not everyone you carry that will fall for the prank.”
Stating how the suspects were arrested, Odumosu said efforts were on to arrest fleeing members of the gang.
The CP said: “On August 7, 2019, a female victim who was returning from work boarded a Toyota Camry saloon car with the registration number LSR 684 CQ along Airport Road and she met four others person seated as passengers including the driver. Unknown to her, they are a gang of robbers. They ordered her to surrender all her valuables, otherwise, she would be killed.
“They successfully robbed her of the sum of N70,000 and pushed her down from the moving vehicle. Upon the receipt of the report, police operatives were detailed to be on their look-out. Interestingly, on December 14, 2020, about 7.00 a.m, at Ogba area of Lagos, the same victim boarded the same vehicle and she quickly identified the occupants as the robbers that previously robbed her.
“She raised the alarm while operatives from CP’s Special Squad who were on duty around the area, apprehended three of the robbers while others escaped. Their operational vehicle, a Toyota Camry saloon car was recovered from them. They have given the name of their gang leader and promised to lead the operatives to arrest him.”
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