….notorious leader of car-snatching gang arrested

Recently at the ever-busy Maryland area of Lagos State, a bizarre drama typical of Hollywood movies was enacted as a gang of armed robbers attempted to snatch a car.  

 Those who witnessed the incident must certainly be going  through what psychologists call ‘post traumatic stress disorder’.  “It was a near life -taking experience”,   remarked an anonymous passerby who, of course, was at the scene of the crime.  Time was 12.30pm and venue was the Mary land bridge.

 The area was a beehive of activities when suddenly, a gang of four armed men on a motorbike popularly called Okada attacked and punctured the serene atmosphere with sporadic gunshots.  As expected, people scampered to different directions.    Those who could withstand the staccato sound of gunshots watched the crime scene from a  reasonable distance. 

A lady whose identity could not be immediately ascertained took off in a desperate attempt to escape from the scene but the armed men chased after her.    In the mean time, the intense shooting had attracted a team of anti-robbery squad stationed at the area and they promptly went after the hoodlums.  Soon, the arena was turned into a theater of war.

  Apparently succumbing to the superior fire power of the police, the armed men beat a retreat and three of them shot their way to escape while the gang leader who later gave his names as Daniel Akachi, was hit on the left leg.  He fell into the waiting hands of law enforcement agents.

Confession.
Investigation revealed that the gang specialized in car snatching and had successfully carried out their nefarious acts in Port Harcourt, Benin, Ibadan and Ogun states but met a stiff resistance from the police in Lagos. 

 The ring leader, investigations further revealed, was an ex-student of the University of Port Harcourt but got rusticated after he got himself involved in cult activities.   At the office of the police pubic relations officer, Oduduwa, Ikeja where the gallant Police team came to celebrate their victory as well as parade the suspect before newsmen, Daniel corroborated their claims admitting without remorse that he was actually an armed robber.

 He, however, pleaded that his life be spared as he was out to cooperate with the police on vital information.  Said he: “I am an armed robber, but make dem give me water to drink first before I go cooperate.  I need w-a-t-e-r, make dem give me w- a-t-e-r!!.  I say I will cooperate with the police, what else do you want?. 

 We were four but my guys dem don jaah and AK dem bullet get me for leg and I no  fit ride my bike again; that is why I am here.  I was a student of UNIPORT but I was rusticated because of cultism.  But I no dey school againoo, I be Black Axe, we call it Ayee.  When I was rusticated, I became an armed robber, and I have told the police this before.

  I do not know why you are still asking me.  We have robbed in Benin, even Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Ogun.  All de cars dem, we don hale since, carry the money flenjor.  Please I need water.  If the police spare my life, I will cooperate, I go tell them everything about car snatchers in this country.  We thought we could do the same thing in Lagos but it turned out to be this way.    Please let dem carry  me to hospital so that I no go die, but before then, I need water.

Police react
The state command Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba who spoke moments before the suspect was taken to the hospital described him as a “courageous criminal.”  He however denied the suspect’s request for water saying, “If we give him water now, he will  just pass out” stressing that the police would do everything within its powers to see that Daniel lives.  

 Mba further vowed that the state will continue to be hot for criminals; especially armed robbers.   The car-snatching kingpin  was then driven to an undisclosed hospital for prompt attention.  It could not however be ascertained whether he has given up the ghost following the degree of gunshot wound sustained or not.