BREAKING NEWS: Police arrest notorious robber plaguing south-west

The Leader of a notorious robbery gang terrorizing Lagos and other south-west states was Thursday, arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect, identified as Abiodun Ogunjobi, a.k.a, Abbey Godogodo, met his waterloo when SARS operatives led by SP Abba Kyari who have been on his trail for a long time, laid ambush for him at his mansion at Egbeda area of Ibadan, Oyo state and also recovered two Ak47 rifles and 10 fully loaded magazines.

Vanguard learnt Godogodo was behind the July 7, 2013, gruesome murder of  seven persons at  O4 Hotel, a popular hotel in Ajah area of Lagos, including the owner, Olarinwaju Subair.

His gang also went on to kill two security guards at a popular hotel, along Apapa Road, Ebute-Meta area of State on the same day.

Police sources told our reporter that the suspect narrowly escaped arrest on July 14, 2013, when he and members of his gang engaged SARS operatives in a shootout on Eko Bridge, Lagos Island after killing two policemen at Ebute-Ero and Ajao Estate. Five members of his gang were gunned down in the encounter, while Godogodo and two others escaped.

Vanguard further learnt that Godogodo who has three children from three women, coordinated several bank robberies in Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Osun States and has killed more than 50 policemen. According to the police source “he is the biggest and most notorious armed robber we have in the South West in the past 14 years.

When Vanguard interviewed the 36-year-old suspects, who is a native of Abekuta, Ogun State, he confessed to being a robber as accused with no regrets for his actions. He said “I started robbing in 1996 and in 1999 I was arrested and remanded in prison for the minor crime of fighting. I spent more than seven years in prison. My prolonged stay in prison for this minor offence hardened me and I vowed to pay back the police for that injustice.

“After I was released, I went to Katanguar, in Iyano-Ipaja area of Lagos to meet my friend Odun, who was arrested by the Police recently at O4 Hotel in Ajah. Odun was a robber and we started operating; we worked with several other gangs.  I invested my money in arms and ammunition. I also built houses in Ifo, Ilaro, Ikorodu and Ibadan.

“I kill policemen and take their rifles because they (policemen) have also killed my boys and taken my rifles from them. I have no regrets for all I have done and I have no advice for young people who want to go into armed robbery like me.”