A 40-year-old man, Kelechi Okorie, who hails from Imo State, has claimed that he joined a robbery gang after he was dismissed from the Army. Okorie, who was arrested for attempting to snatch a motorcycle from its owner at Ajah area of Lagos about 10:28pm on November 10.
The owner, according to the police, sustained injuries after Okorie shot him in the leg for refusing to release his motorcycle. People around the scene of the attack mobilised to rescue the owner of the motorcycle who was struggling with the suspect.
It was during the struggle between Okorie and the owner of the motorcycle which drew the attention of passers-by to the scene. The people were able to hold the suspect until the arrival of the police.
The police recovered a gun and ammunition from Okorie while the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Okorie told journalists that he was a soldier serving in Imo State before his dismissal in 2013. He said: “I am a dismissed soldier. I was dismissed in Imo State in 2013 because I travelled without permission.
“After I was dismissed, I joined a three-man gang of robbers. One Chibuike bought this gun for us to operate with.
Since we have been operating, we have never killed anybody except the motorcyclist who I shot unintentionally. We usually operate on Badagry Road and anywhere we see what we like.
“We have operated in more than five places so far and I have received over N90,000 from the operations. We snatch mostly motorcycles and handbags by pretending to board the motorcycle.
We will ask the owner to come down forcibly and we go away with the motorcycle and the owner’s possessions. “I don’t know if my gang members are aware of my arrest and I don’t know their whereabouts. I am married and have kids but I don’t know if they would bail me out or I’d be charged to court. If I’m released, I won’t go into robbery again.”
The owner, according to the police, sustained injuries after Okorie shot him in the leg for refusing to release his motorcycle. People around the scene of the attack mobilised to rescue the owner of the motorcycle who was struggling with the suspect.
It was during the struggle between Okorie and the owner of the motorcycle which drew the attention of passers-by to the scene. The people were able to hold the suspect until the arrival of the police.
The police recovered a gun and ammunition from Okorie while the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Okorie told journalists that he was a soldier serving in Imo State before his dismissal in 2013. He said: “I am a dismissed soldier. I was dismissed in Imo State in 2013 because I travelled without permission.
“After I was dismissed, I joined a three-man gang of robbers. One Chibuike bought this gun for us to operate with.
Since we have been operating, we have never killed anybody except the motorcyclist who I shot unintentionally. We usually operate on Badagry Road and anywhere we see what we like.
“We have operated in more than five places so far and I have received over N90,000 from the operations. We snatch mostly motorcycles and handbags by pretending to board the motorcycle.
We will ask the owner to come down forcibly and we go away with the motorcycle and the owner’s possessions. “I don’t know if my gang members are aware of my arrest and I don’t know their whereabouts. I am married and have kids but I don’t know if they would bail me out or I’d be charged to court. If I’m released, I won’t go into robbery again.”
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