Six suspected Nigerian robbers busted

THE POLICE Administration has not relented in its efforts to flush out suspected criminals, including Nigerian armed robbers operating in Ghana, as six suspects were arrested for robbing numerous filling stations at various communities in Tema, Accra and Kasoa.

The suspects include Bright Joseph, alias Marlin, 23, Eric Uda Madusbuchi, alias 'No one is God,' 20, Okechukwu, alias Joseph Oti, 22, Ihedi Kenneth, alias Fella, 29, Hope and Charles, who are all Nigerians

Others include Obina, the leader, Oko Sisi, ex-Nigerian soldier, ex-Nigerian police officer, Sonney Good and Bad, and Big Obina, alias Wabinu, are currently at large.

The suspects, according to the police, were flushed out from their hide out at the Gomoa Budumburam camp.

Briefing The Chronicle yesterday in Accra, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, and the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, noted that upon a tip-off on Wednesday, April 20 2011, the police mounted an operation and arrested Malline Joseph and Maduachi Uda at the Budumburam camp.

DCOP Bio Atinga said after their arrest, the two suspects led the police to Kaneshie to arrest Kenneth Ihedi and Okechukwu Oti.

On April 6, 2011, about ten robbers attacked the Star Oil filling station at Gomoa Buduburam, and took away an amount of GH¢2,500, six mobile phones, and one pump action gun, which they snatched from the security man on duty.

They also removed the pump attendants' uniforms, wore them, and informed prospective buyers that there was no fuel, whilst their accomplices robbed the shop.

They also attacked and robbed various filling stations, including the Allied Oil filling station on the Aflao road, broke into the Managing Director's office, took hostage of the pump attendant, and took away two days sales, running in to thousands of Ghana cedis.

DCOP Atinga said on April 12, 2011 and April 14, 2011, the suspects again robbed two filling stations at Tema Community One.

On Saturday April 16, 2011, between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., the group further attacked a Shell filling station near the Tema Technical School, and took away GH¢¢50,000, and on the same day, between 7:30 and 9.00 p.m., they went to the Tema Steel Company, used a master key to open the MD's office, and dragged a safe containing huge sums of money into a waiting taxi and drove off.

'The modus operandi of the gang is that they hide their weapons in a florescent tube box, cello- tape it as if they are masons or tillers carring their tools, looking for jobs or returning from work,' the Police Commander intimated.

According to DCOP Atinga, the robbers captured the security men on duty, removed their uniforms and wore them, and patrolled the yard whilst their accomplices were left inside to break the safes of the companies.

She said at other times, they wear the uniforms of the pump attendants and ward off clients under the pretense that there was no fuel.

Upon interrogation, the suspected robbers confessed to filling station robberies in Tema, Accra and Kasoa.

A search revealed a full pump action gun, a foreign pistol with five rounds of ammunition, two locally made pistols, three hammers and three cellotapes. Other are hacksaw blades, twenty cartridges, three garden gun cartridges, and seven assorted mobile phones

Meanwhile, the police are investigating the issue, and also making efforts to trace the six accomplices, who are currently at large.

The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, and the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno further cautioned filling station owners not to keep large sums of money on them.

The police commanders also believed that due to cheap accommodation at the Gomoa Buduburam Camp, all foreigners who come into the country with the intent to rob or commit crimes hide at the camp.

'We are, therefore, entreating landlords and supervisors at the camps and communities around, to be careful about the people who come there for accommodation, and report suspicious characters to the police,' DCOP Rose Bio Atinga noted.