A suspected robbery gang leader, one Enric Ankwu, has been remanded by an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.
The suspect was arraigned for dispossessing Mr. Osan Akinola and his wife of money and valuables worth N1.2m at gunpoint.
It was alleged that Ankwu (popularly called Okpoloku) and four others, who were armed with cutlasses, stormed the family’s residence on Akinola Osa Street in the Egan, Igando area of the state.
The police said the gun-wielding defendant led his gang members, who were still at large, to the Akinolas at about 8pm on September 29.
It was said that the gang initially dispossessed Osan’s wife,Olayinka, of N9,000.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the robbers, not satisfied with the ‘paltry’ sum they collected from Olayinka, headed for her husband’s office, which was not far from the house.
The gang reportedly collected N450,000, and 15 phones from Osan.
It was gathered that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad swooped on the suspect after Osan reported the incident at the Igando Police Station.
The complainant, it was learnt, had told the police that he got a glimpse of Ankwu’s identity during the attack.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Chinalo Uwadione, subsequently arraigned him before the magistrate, Miss O. A. Akinde, on two counts of robbery.
The charges read, “That you, Eric Ankwu, 22, and others now at large, on September 2, 2014 at about 2000hrs at 14, Akinola Osan Street, Egan Igando, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves with intent to commit felony to wit; armed robbery, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, Cap. 378, Vol. XXII, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2003 as amended.
“That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, while armed with gun and other weapons, did rob cash sum of N9,000 property of one Mrs. Olayinka Akinola; cash sum of N450,000, three used handsets of various types and12 new Nokia phones, property of one Mr. Osan Akinola. All items, including the cash, were valued at N1.2m. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, Cap. 378, Vol. XXII, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2003 as amended.”
Ankwu’s plea was not taken by the magistrate, who ordered that he be remanded in custody pending the release of legal advice from the state’s Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The case was adjourned till December 15, 2014.
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