Boy, 13, engineer nabbed for robbery

A 13-year-old boy alongside a mechanical engineer have been arrested in connection with and alleged armed robbery in Lagos at the weekend. Daily Sun gathered that the boy identified simply as Sam and the graduate of Federal Polytechnics, Auchi, Okonkwo, 23, were arrested by policemen attached to Apapa Division. The duo were alleged to have been armed with a drilling machine shaped like a gun and one sharp knife when they robbed a mobile phones sales shop, opposite Anjorin Market, in Apapa. The sales girl (name withheld) told police that Okonkwo pointed the drilling machine at her, while Sam who was carrying a bag brandished the knife. She said they ordered her to surrender all the phones in the shop or they would kill her. The sales girl claimed she pretended to be obeying the orders, but unknown to them the phones displayed were mere dummies. She said Sam packed the dummies and the drilling machine inside the bag and left the scene. She said Okonkwo had problem leaving the shop because Sam had left with the fake gun. So he decided to block her mouth with hands. He threatened to come back and shoot her if she raised an alarm. Unknown to the hoodlums somebody had alerted the Divisional Police Officer of Apapa Police Station, Mr. Mohammed Mu’azu, a Chief Superintendent of Police. A police source disclosed that Mu’azu led a team of policemen to the scene, ordering other anti- robbery police teams to lay ambush at strategic locations. Okonkwo wanted to run from the shop when the sales girl held him by the collar and screamed: “Ole! Ole!! (Meaning: Thief! Thief!!) The hoodlum was struggling to free himself when Mu’azu arrived accompanied by some policemen. The hoodlum who claimed to be a mechanical engineer surrendered weeping. A man who identified himself as Abdullahi said the sales girl exhibited courage. The man also hailed police for their timely intervention which prevented the hoodlum from hurting the girl. Source said Mu’azu sent some detectives to the residence in Bale Street, Ajegunle where the duo reside. The kid-robber child was nabbed at the backyard as he was examining the loots. Sam, a year two Junior Secondary School student said he lives in the same residence with Okonkwo. They traded blames over who was responsible for their mission. While Sam claimed Okonkwo told him to accompany him to Apapa to see somebody, the latter claimed they plotted the robbery together in Ajegunle, before leaving for Apapa.

Source: www.sunnewsonline.com