Two ex-convicts, Ejike Ani, 32, and Chubuzor Anasihwe, 31, have been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command over alleged robbery operations alongside the Ife-Ilesha Expressway in Osun State, the place 5 autos and valuables estimated at N50m have been reportedly stolen.
The suspects have been arrested at separate places in Lagos by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit after months of investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed that preliminary investigations linked the suspects to robbery incidents allegedly dedicated on August 20 and September 20, 2026.
According to him, the arrests adopted a directive by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to accentuate the struggle in opposition to felony actions nationwide.
“During interrogation, the suspects reportedly revealed that they met while serving jail terms at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos and later reunited after their release,” he mentioned.
Ani, an indigene of Ebonyi State and a former garments vendor, blamed his alleged involvement in robbery on poverty, money owed and his mom’s medical bills.
He mentioned he returned to his village after his launch from jail in January 2026 however grew to become annoyed by his lack of ability to fulfill his mom’s eye surgical procedure bills, estimated at N800,000, and settle excellent money owed.
Ani mentioned he subsequently contacted a former jail acquaintance, recognized as Chinedu, who invited him to Lagos and launched him to different alleged gang members.
He claimed the gang initially deserted an tried robbery after motorists have been alerted to their presence, however later returned to the freeway, the place they allegedly dispossessed three males helping occupants of a broken-down car of a Toyota Corolla, cellphones and money.
He additional alleged that the gang later snatched a bus throughout heavy rainfall and robbed a car belonging to a standard ruler.
Ani claimed the monarch and his driver escaped, whereas the gang took valuables from the car.
He alleged that he obtained solely N20,000 in two separate funds as his share of the proceeds from one of many operations.
He additionally claimed the gang typically used sticks wrapped in sellotape and fireworks to mimic firearms.
Anasihwe, who additionally beforehand bought garments on Lagos Island, mentioned he met Ani in jail whereas serving a sentence following a struggle with two passengers throughout his time as a business motorcyclist.
He mentioned they reunited in Ijora after their launch and subsequently participated in a robbery operation.
However, he denied involvement in the robbery involving the normal ruler, claiming he had already been arrested.
Meanwhile, investigations have been nonetheless ongoing to ascertain the suspects’ respective roles in the alleged robberies.
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