The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a suspected robber, Amos Kuesi, who said he thought he was smuggling hemp and not guns before he was arrested.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect
was arrested on Thursday, November 27, by policemen attached to the Pen Cinema
Division while on patrol.
It was gathered that while another gang member,
identified simply as Sotin, evaded arrest, 24-year-old Kuesi was apprehended
and subsequently transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, for
further interrogation.
According to the police, two revolver pistols with four live
cartridges and a bag of Indian hemp were recovered during a search on a
commercial bus around the Pen Cinema/Agege Roundabout.
Speaking with PUNCH
Metro on Tuesday, Kuesi, a native of Ogoni, Rivers State, confessed
that he and Sotin were heading for Mile 2 when he was arrested.
He, however, said he did not know he was carrying any gun.
He explained that it was after the police discovered the guns that he realised
that those who gave him the hemp to deliver to a man in Mile 2 hid guns in the
package.
He said, “I traveled to Port Harcourt to see some friends.
I went with Sotin. On our way back, I was given a package and I was told it
contained hemp. I was asked to deliver it to a man in the Mile 2 area of Lagos.
I did not know the Port Harcourt boys also hid guns and live cartridges inside
the bag.
“The bag was placed in the boot of the bus I boarded from
Port Harcourt to Lagos. If only I knew the content of the bag included guns, I
would not have agreed to deliver it. They gave me the man’s phone number adding
that he would pay me N50,000.
“But while heading for Oshodi through Agege, some policemen
searched us. Sotin ran away, but the policemen arrested me.”
Kuesi, who said his fiance had no idea he was a member of a
robbery gang, added that it was some financial difficulties which forced him
into joining the gang.
He said, “I used to work as a generator repairer. I was
living fine until some months ago when I ran into financial difficulties. That
was how I was introduced to the gang by one Ifeanyi. I knew them as casual
friends. I did not know they were robbers.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth
Nwosu, confirmed the arrest of Kuesi, adding that investigations were ongoing
on the matter.
He said, “Policemen on patrol along Iju Road, Agege
intercepted the suspect with a bag containing two pistols with 5.56mm live
ammunition. The case is under investigation at the Department of Criminal
Investigation, Yaba.”