Two Ghana returnees arrested for armed robbery in Edo

The Edo State Police Command on Saturday arrested two Ghana returnees for armed robbery in the state.

The two suspects whose names were given as Osabuohien Arumuda and Nosa Osayawe were said to have returned from Ghana to the state four years ago.

Parading the two suspects before journalists at the state command headquarters in Benin at the weekend, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said they were arrested in connection with the snatching of a Toyota Camry car.

The Toyota Camry car, according to the PPRO, was allegedly snatched at gunpoint from an unnamed owner who recently lost his mother in Aduwawa Community by a four-man robbery gang (including Osayawe) led by one Solomon’ (now at large) and thereafter taken to Evbue-Okhuenbor Community both in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the State.

On receiving the information, Nwabuzor said, a crack team of police was immediately dispatched and eventually swooped on them during which Osayawe (24) and Arumuda (41), were arrested.

Osayawe was alleged to have engaged the services of Arumuda at his workshop at Egba junction, to assist him in fixing the demobilised vehicle parked at a popular petrol station and taken to a private residence in Evbue-Okhuenbor community in Uhunmowde Local Government Area.

Nwabuzor told journalists at the instance of the Edo state Commissioner of Police, CP. Abutu Yaro that Osayawe and Arumuda were caught by police operatives acting on a distress call while trying to sell the car, adding that two other accomplices to the alleged crime escaped.

Nwabuzor however assured that the police are on the trail of other members of the gang after which they would be thoroughly investigated before charging them to court.

Speaking on his level of involvement, Nosa Osayawe alleged that the leader of the gang, ‘Solo’ who is his childhood friend, promised to give him the sum of N150, 000 to enable him to secure an apartment and rehabilitate himself having lost his means of livelihood after he returned from Ghana.

“I am a Fashion designer who returned from Ghana to Edo State, Nigeria four years ago.

“I work as Volunteer. I worked with Vigilantes in Evbue-Okhuenbor Community. I always do security work in the Community. I travelled to Ghana and returned to Nigeria four years ago when we had a crisis in our community that made the Villagers to chase us away including my sick mother.

“I wasn’t involved in the crisis. I had to come back when I learned that my mother fell sick. I kept my personal items with some of my friends to see if I could raise something to rent a house before this incident in which I was arrested.

“Solo called me yesterday and said I should meet him up at Delta Filling station at Aduwawa. When I asked him about the three persons he was going with earlier, he said they are on their way coming.

“He said I should drive to an undisclosed destination and I accepted to drive along with my Childhood friend, Solo.

“Suddenly, one Camry 2.4 car parked. And a guy nicknamed ‘Skele’ came out and, we began our journey immediately.

“The owner of the car who was by the wheel wanted to struggle with the steering initially, but when my friend Solo pointed a gun at him, he apologized and surrendered his car after an argument.

“But, they did not allow me to drive, another person took over the wheel. When we got to Ramat park, the car owner was pushed out of the vehicle unhurt and we proceeded to Murtala Mohammed Way where an argument ensued among the three.

“Thereafter, we left for my community — Evbue-Okhuenbor via Aduwawa Community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State and eventually parked the car in my younger brother’s house until the following morning.

“At dawn, I went to inform my younger brother that we were about to leave. As the guy was about to drive the vehicle, it did not start. I went to call one automobile electrician around the area. He tried to start the car severally, but all to no avail,” he said.  (Daily Independent)