HOW WE GRADUATED FROM STEALING MOTORCYCLES TO FULL TIME ARMED ROBBERY
The ringleader of a notorious gang terrorising Ibadan, Oyo State, Osun and Lagos states, Enioluwa Adebayo, has opened up on his four-year stint in robbery Punch Newspaper reports.
Popularly known as Judgement, an alias he earned for killing victims who put up resistance, 23-year-old Adebayo led a three-man gang operating mostly on motorcycles.
It was learnt that the gang also carried out ‘brisk operations’ early morning and in the evening, robbing passersby of their valuables.
City Round gathered that Adedayo and a member of the gang, Sunday Olubushe aka Ajegunle, were arrested recently by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team in Oyo State.
Detectives went after the suspects after they engaged in a shootout with some soldiers who attempted to foil their robbery operation at a popular supermarket in Mokola area of the state in March 2020.
He was eventually tracked down at his girlfriend’s house where he was treating gunshot injuries he sustained during the faceoff with soldiers. He led the operatives to arrest Olubushe.
One Tunde Kasari, said to be the second-in-command, is still at large.
“They told us that it was one Baba Esther that usually assisted them in buying guns at the rate of N30,000. One Lambe helped them to get their ammunition for N17,000. Judgement and his gang stayed in a hotel around Ibadan from where they launched their attacks,” a police source stated.
While being paraded during the week, the gang leader, who hails from Osun State, said he was introduced to robbery while he was trying to raise money for his freedom after completing his apprenticeship as a barber.
Adebayo said, “I finished secondary school in 2015 and started learning barbing. After six months, my boss asked me to look for money for my freedom. I started riding a commercial motorcycle. I met one Lekan, also known as Corporal, who introduced me to robbery.”
“We started by stealing motorcycles from where they were parked at night. Within a year, I stole many motorcycles in Ibadan together with Corporal before we switched into full-time armed robbery.”
He stated that they bought guns and went for their first robbery operation in the Ikire area of Osun State on two motorcycles.
He said the attack was botched as their target and his neighbours quickly raised the alarm and chased them away.
Adebayo stated, “I broke my leg in that operation. I was arrested and taken to the station, where I spent about one month. I was later released when the pain from my injured leg was too much and the people who brought me to the station were not forthcoming.”
“I went home and my gang members took care of me. They brought my share after every operation. I rejoined the gang when I got healed and we started doing ‘stop-and-search robbery.”
“Whenever we see people walking on the road, we would stop and search them with our guns and take valuables found on them. We did this in the morning and in the evening and we were doing it all over Ibadan.”
He said in 2018, they raided a house in the airport area, Ibadan, where he killed a man who allegedly resisted him.
He added, “When we got there, the owner of the house hit me on the head with a big iron and I fell. I was bleeding and asked my boys to pin the man to the ground. I hacked him to death with a machete. We left without getting the money we went for.”
“The second person I killed was in March 2020. We attacked a woman operating a bar around 11pm in Ojo area. One of my boys known as Tunde grabbed the woman’s bag from her and when we were about to leave, the woman poured drinks on my face and held me.”
“She was trying to prevent me from escaping. I became angry and shot her. I killed her on the spot. I also carried out some robberies in Lagos State.”
He said he realised between N70,000 and N80,000 on each operation, but spent all the money on women and clothes.
“I regret all I have done and I hope the police will forgive me and give me a second chance,” he pleaded.
