A 31-year-old man, Kabiru Mohammed, has confessed to hiring a seven-man robbery gang to steal $383,000 (N61, 280, 000) from his father.
The suspect, who works with his father, revealed that he hired notorious robbery kingpin, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka Godogodo, to steal the money from his father who owns a bureau de change at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
It was also learnt that the gang robbed Mohammed’s father twice.
Mohammed, who is being detained at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, said, “My father is a bureau de change operator at the airport. I am the one who arranged a seven-man armed robbery gang led by Godogodo to rob my older brother, Ibrahim who was carrying my father’s money amounting to $383,000.
“I told the gang that my father had dollars. The first operation was when Ibrahim wanted to convey money from local airport to international airport, I called Godogodo and gave him the car number plate and the colour of the car. I told them not to kill my brother, but to shoot into the air. I knew my brother would release the money because my father told us not to drag money with armed robbers. They collected $350,000 and gave me only two bundles which is $20,000
“In the second operation they stopped my brother in front of Air Force Bus Stop and collected $33,000 and they gave me $8,000.”
The suspect also confessed to have joined Godogodo in some robbery operations in the state.
“I am a member of the robbery gang. My role is to find targets and also information which I give to the gang. That is why they call me ‘Target man’.”
Mohammed, who claimed to be a 400 Level student of History and International Relations at the Lagos State University, said he was introduced to robbery by one Akin he met in 2008.
When asked how he spent his loot, the Kano State indigene said, “I used my money to build a mosque in Kano and buy 17 rams for some people in Kano.”
Another suspect, Okechukwu Lawrence, who was arrested alongside Mohammed, confessed that he was the one handling the weapons for the gang.
The indigene of Imo State said, “My work is to keep ammunition for the gang after collecting AK47 rifles from the policemen the gang shot dead. I joined the gang to get enough money to boost my spare parts business in Ladipo market.”
On July 8, 2013, the robbers invaded 04 Hotel in Ajah area of the state, killing the owner of the hotel, Olanrewaju Subair and five others.
Godogodo, who owned up to the crime, said he killed Subair because he was a police informant and had assisted the police in arresting his colleague, Odun.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.