The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, has
arrested a 33 year man identified as Obina Okoli
who is described as a notorious receiver of
stolen goods and a key financier and recruiter of
hijackers who terrorize major highways in Lagos
and other parts of the country.
Obinna, who had evaded arrest for 10 years was
finally arrested recently at his home in Onitsha,
Anambra state. Police reports say Obinna
received over 80% of all hijacked or diverted
goods in Lagos and other adjoining states from
2003 to 2014. He's also said to have sponsored
and maintained over 50 different gangs of armed
robbers, including military personnel, who he'd
used in perpetuating his criminal activities.
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One of his accomplices, 38 year old Imo state
born Emeka Ikenga who was arrested in 2010 had
identified Obinna as his sponsor and the
facilitator of his robbery gang. Emeka was
arrested for hijacking a truck carrying a 40 feet
container with goods worth N11 million from its
driver on the Benin-Ore Road and subsequently
diverting it to Onitsha where it was handed over
to Obinna.
Ikenga said they carried out the operation
dressed as military and were able to trail
the truck through the conductor of the bus who
was their informant.
"We are based in Lagos and he(Obinna) is at
Onitsha. Whenever we get there for
operation, he would instruct us on how to
go about it. On the operation that brought
me here, one of the conductors, Kalu,
contacted my Chairman, Obinna, and they
made the arrangement. The conductor
supplied the name of the driver of the truck
and the number-plate. And, when they
started out for the journey, Kalu called my
chairman, we got alerted and we went after
them. We intercepted them with our
operational Hilux Jeep at Ijebu-Ode and
when the driver inquired what was
happening, we showed him a warrant
bearing his name and the number-plate of
the truck, claiming that it was an order from
the Chief of Army Staff that all trucks
passing en-route should be searched for
arms and ammunition and that such
vehicles should be towed to the nearest
Police station. He insisted on driving his
vehicle but we refused and pushed him and
his conductor into the back seat of our
Jeep. I went back into his truck. The other
members of our gang together with the
driver and his conductor, headed back to
Lagos. They injected them on the way
though I was not there. After a little while,
Obinna called us and instructed that we
transfer the goods into another vehicle to
prevent being trailed. We heeded his
instruction and Kalu followed one of the
vehicles down to Onitsha and I came back
to Lagos, expecting my share of the loot
which I did not get until my arrest" he said
According to Vanguard, after the arrest of Ikenga
and his other gang members, Obinna recruited an
eight-man gang who specialize in patrolling
Lagos dressed in Police uniforms and carrying
out robbery activities. Before their arrest, the
gang hijacked an articulated vehicle loaded with
N15m worth of cartons of engine oil at Ojuelegba
area in Lagos state. The gang were later rounded
up by SARS operatives in Lagos and they
confessed that Obinna received and also financed
their operations. Trying to use the apprehended
gang members to lure Obinna out so he could be
arrested proved abortive as he evaded all tactics
set by the police for his arrest.
Luck however ran out on him after another gang
whom he sent to hijack PVC pipes were arrested.
One of the investigating officers, OC Kyari, then
hacked into Obinna's data and picked out
contacts that were very close to him. A team
was deployed to Onitsha to keep close watch on
those his contacts. Fortunately, Obinna contacted
one of them who was owing him some money,
then our operatives on ground used the person
to apprehend him. He was interrogated and he
confessed to own the warehouses in Onitsha,
Kano State and Cameron.
Among the most recent cases of theft against
Obinna includes a 40- feet container of Forever
Living Product, 40-feet container of PVC pipes
and another 40 -feet container of motor tyres.
Others were 40- feet container of powder milk,
40- feet container of refrigerators, 40 -feet
container of LG home theatre, two trucks of rice,
one truck of solder chemicals, two 20ft containers
of groundnut oil, a 40 feet container of
motorcycle, Umbrella and a 20 feet container of
school bags.
When interrogated, Obinna said he is now a
changed man
"I have suffered a lot. A lot of people have
committed atrocities with my names and the
police thought I was the one. I admit I was
a bad man but I am now a changed man. I
was scared to get married because the
police could use my wife to arrest me”.
He said
The Police are currently working hard to retrieve
the goods and hand them over to their owners.
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