Chilling confessions of an armed robber: I’ve been a robber since I was 11 years old, formed my gang when I was 13
By Evelyn Usman
Posted to the Web: Saturday, June 30, 2007



*Says 25-yr-old Fatai Shokunbi, member of gang that killed a woman in cold blood on Apongbon Bridge


When the gruesome murder of Mrs. Clementina Sadauwa, a manager with Ericson company in Nigeria, was announced in the media four months ago, many concluded that the unknown gunmen would have been those hired assassins that perfect a clean job. She was killed in cold blood in the month of February on the Apongbon bridge, on Lagos Island by a five-man robbery gang at about 8:00 p.m. Her driver with unknown identity who was also injured by the bandits reportedly ran for dear life when the gunmen threatened to kill both of them if they did not surrender the money they were with.

With the deed neatly done and Mrs. Sadauwa who was with her little baby at the back of the car left in the pool of her blood, stone dead, the robbers fled the scene after removing the blood stained jewelries from their dead victim. An unspecified amount of money contained in the deceased’s handbag, three GSM handsets and other valuables were carted away by the assailants.

In spite of the cry of the little baby who still cuddled her dead mother affectionately, other road users undauntedly drove on for fear of being another victim. It was not until moments later that a driver who earlier fled the scene for dear life returned and raised alarm which attracted genuine sympathizers.

The murder of Mrs. Saduwa raised dust and the Police were again accused of incompetence in the area of security and protection of lives and property. The incident, according to the 1985 set of Old Students Association of Federal Government College who petitioned then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, was described as one killing too many, that have proved a hard nut for the police to crack.

They however enjoined the Police to do all within their power to bring the culprits to book if only to prove the public notion about them wrong.

Just when interest was being lost about the possibility of nabbing the perpetrators of the devilish act, four months after the tragic occurrence, the Lagos State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded four robbery suspects that confessed to have indeed taken part in the robbery operation that sent the defenceless engineer to an untimely death, ostensibly for refusing to part with the money they claimed was in her possession. The perpetrators of the dastardly act whose ages are between 23 and 25, revealed that their ring leader and hitman whose name they gave as Nonso, pulled the trigger that sent Mrs. Sadauwa to the great beyond.

Nonso, it was later gathered, met his waterloo two months ago; he was shot dead during a gun battle with the police in one of his operations.

In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, the gang’s second-in-command, Fatai Shokunbi, a 25-year-old indigene of Ogun State, disclosed that he had been robbing since he was 11 years old and gave a startling revelation of how Mrs. Sadauwa was killed. Excerpts:

What is your name?

My name is Fatai Shokunbi, alias Atere. I am 25 years old and an indigene of Ogun State
Are you in school?


I dropped out of school when I was in SS2 because I was naturally stubborn. I never wanted to go to school even when my parents forced me to. I just wanted to go into business and get money to take care of my needs. I finished my primary education from Ebute-Metta Primary School and proceeded to Herbert Macaulay College, also in Ebute-Metta but dropped out in SS2.

How did you join robbery?

I started robbing twelve years ago, then I was 11 years old. I specialise in break and entry. I break into shops and pick whatever I see. Sometimes I sell them and sometimes I keep them for my personal use. I later formed a gang of two when I was 13 years old.

Anytime we got anything from the operation, we would share it equally but sometimes I kept some to myself.

Tell us about the robbery operation at Apongbon bridge where your gang killed one woman who was with her baby.

We were five that went for the operation. Dudu (one of the suspects) brought an okada (motorcycle) that carried Nonso and I from Oyingbo to Apongbon bridge where we met Ismaila and Bashiru (other members of the gang). I was with an iron cutter, Nonso was with a gun while Basiru and Ismaila were with cutlasses.

Then it was about 8:00 p.m., we sighted the vehicle parked and Dudu immediately parked the okada in front of the car. Nonso and I came down from the okada and went straight to the car. I stayed by the driver’s side while Nonso went to where the woman sat behind. I asked the driver to open the door but when he refused, I smashed the glass with the iron cutter and collected two phones from him.

Nonso started dragging with the woman for her bag and at the same time asked her: ‘Where is your money? Where is your jewelry?’ In the process, he shot her and we left the scene. On getting to our hideout in Oko-Baba under Ebute-Meta bridge, we reaslised that the bag contained the sum of N28,000.

Did anyone hire your gang to kill the woman?

I am not a hired killer. We did not know her before. All we planned was to go to Apongbon bridge to operate and we met her vehicle on the spot. Before we left for the operation, we concluded we were not going to kill but I don’t know why Nonso shot the woman. Maybe it was because she was shouting and at the same time struggling for the bag with him. If we were hired assassins we would have killed the driver also.

How much was your share of the loot?

I got the sum of N9,000 and a phone; we gave Dudu who drove the okada N2,000, Asunmo got N1,500; Okele got N6,000 because he knew how much was in the bag. I took more than Nonso because he said he wanted two phones. I gave him two phones and deducted it from the money he ought to have got. After the sharing, we went our different ways and continued stealing until the Police arrested Dudu at Onike while he was operating. His confessional statement led to our arrests. But Nonso that shot the woman is not here. I have not seen him for about two months now,

How did you form a gang of five armed men?

I was doing a solo operation for several years until I met Nonso at Oko-Baba in Ebute Metta at a joint where we smoke Indian hemp. His mother, a firewood seller, lives close to where my shop is. I knew he was a bad boy and he knew what I was into also. After he came back from prison in 2004, he said he met other prisoners who promised to give him a gun after serving his jail term. So he approached me about four years ago and told me he could use a gun, but that all he wanted was a partner. So, anytime I had a deal, I would call him because of the gun. Since then we have done several deals which fetched us money.

Have you been arrested since you started stealing 12 years ago?

I have been arrested twice. This is the third time and I know I may not come out of this alive. I was arrested the first time by policemen at Denton Police station and was taken to court where I was sent to Ikoyi Prison but was later released after spending two months. That was in 2002. Two years after, I was again arrested by policemen from Sabo division and spent more than two months at the Ikoyi prison.

How much have you realised from the operations and what did you do with the money?

I rented a shop where I started selling cassettes when I initially started. I later went into studio business, where I sing at social gatherings. I am still into the business.

Why didn’t you stop after achieving all these?

Ise esu ni (meaning it’s the devil’s handiwork). I proposed in my mind that I was going to stop at the end of this year and I actually would have if not that I was arrested.

How do you break into the shops and how do you know there is money in a particular shop?

Before breaking into any shop at night, I would have gone to such shops in the daytime for survey. I would enter the shop and demand for what they do not have. Before entering, I would ensure there are at least one or two customers. That way, I would monitor where they keep money and come back at night to break into their safe and collect the money. Most times Nonso usually followed me.

Could you mention some of the operations you and Nonso have together been involved in?

We have carried out several operations together that I have lost count of. But most of the robberies have been in Ebute Metta. We have once broken into a GSM handsets shops where I made away with several phones and recharge cards. At the end I gave Nonso just two and hid the rest, saying they fell from me while we were rushing to leave the place. Another operation was that on Borno way, Ebute Metta; it was also a recharge card store.

We stole over 50 cards of different networks. I gave Okele some of the cards to sell. He said he sold them for N28,000. I gave Nonso N15,000 while I pocketed N13,000. But unknown to him, I hid over ten of the recharge cards which I secretly loaded into my phone. Anytime we stole recharge cards, we would sell them at cheaper rates, that way dealers would buy. We once broke into a provision store where we made away with N40,000 . Nonso collected N15,000 while I took the rest because I initiated the deal.

Are your parents aware you are into this?

They are not. My parents are not living together. They have been separated for a long time. My dad lives in Alagbado while my mum stays at Ojuelegba.

Are you married?

I’m married but my wife does not know I’m into this mess.

So, where do you usually tell her you are going whenever you are going for operation?

Like I told you earlier, I have a studio and go out to play for people. So anytime I’m going out for operation, I’ll simply tell her I’m going out for social engagement. When she heard I was arrested and was told about my escapades, she just broke down crying, that she never knew she had been living with a criminal all this while.

Do you have any regrets?

Yes. I pray I come out of this alive. I promise I will never rob again. I initially proposed to end everything about robbery this year and turn a new leaf because I have achieved so many things from it. Maybe God wanted to use this to teach me a lesson.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/june07/30062007/f230062007.html

lagos na wa o!