How we formed gang in prison — Notorious Kaduna serial burglars confess

Armed with diggers, pincers and hammers, the police said the trio targeted only high-end retail shops in the Kaduna metropolis, stealing expensive wares ranging from jewellery to clothing and electronics to even exotic dogs in some cases.

According to ThePunch, over the last three years, the gang had terrorised traders in Kaduna’s commercial areas such as around Constitution Road, Central Market, Ahmadu Bello Way, Sokoto Road, Abeokuta Road, Junction Road, among others.

But on November 26, 2016, a popular mobile phone store, Chizon Plaza, which they had robbed at Central Market, kick-started a series of events that led to their eventual capture by the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.

In that operation, it was learnt that the three-man gang looted the shop of 228 assorted mobile phones, worth N15m.

When the owner of the shop, Cyprian Obi, reported the burglary to the Sabon-Gari Police Division, the matter was transferred to the office of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who immediately detailed the operatives of the IRT led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, to find and apprehend the suspects.

In the ensuing investigation by the IRT, one of the stolen mobile phones was tracked and traced to a user in Zamfara State, who was then arrested.

The user told the police he bought the phone from a store in Royal Plaza, Kaduna, adding that he could even take detectives to the man who sold the phone to him.

Again, when the seller was arrested by the police, he said the phone was sold to him by another individual, who turned out to be a member of the gang which robbed the store.

A police source explained that it was easy for the IRT to round up the other members of the gang from then on.

When they were interrogated, the suspects confessed that most of the multi-million naira goods they stole between 2014 and 2016 were sold at giveaway prices to three men, whom they identified as YahayaUmaru, Musa Ibrahim and Bashiru Musa.

According to the IRT, the suspect also confessed that they stole 10 exotic dogs from their owners in Banarawa and Jamaru areas of Kaduna. Each of the dogs was sold for N100, 000.

“They confessed to have broken into a cables shop where they stole cables worth over N5m. They also said they once stole over 20 motorcycles from parks around Kaduna. The curious thing about them is they each admitted to have been to prison five different times,” a source said.

One of the suspects, 27-year-old Umaru, who spoke in fluent English, explained that he joined the gang when he met Idris and Zakari in prison.

He said, “I went to prison for stealing seven motorcycles and they were both my cell mates. We were exchanging stories about our feats as robbers and burglars. I told them about what brought me to prison and how stealing motorcycles did not bring fast money as much as I wanted.

“Idris and Zakari told me their plans and told me to join them.  I left the prison before them and when they came out, they looked for me and our operation started. We first broke into a shop at Banawa area of Kaduna and stole three new plasma television and stabilisers. We sold them cheaply for N70, 000.  We also burgled a shop on Sokoto Road, Kaduna and stole 29 pieces of expensive fabrics. We also took necklaces and wristwatches from the shop.

“When we shared the loot, I got pieces of fabrics, three gold necklaces and three gold wristwatches.  I sold the gold necklaces to someone for N5,000 each because I did not know that they were real gold.

“I also sold one of the wristwatches for N3,000, kept one for myself and gave out the last one to a friend as a gift. I also did not know the wristwatches were real gold. I sold the wrappers for N1,500 even though they are worth more than 10 times that.

“Out of the Chizon Plaza operation, where we stole 228 phones, I was given 73 pieces out of which I sold 40 pieces to Yahaya Umar. He paid N300,000. I also sold three of the phones to one Ejike and he paid me N42,000. I sold the remaining 30 phones to Zakari for N30,000 because I needed money desperately at the time and did not know how to dispose of the phones.”

Umaru said he had been to prison five times, four out of which was on charges of stealing motorcycles. He said he was lucky that each time he was remanded in prison and then released on bail, his cases were always discharged from the court.

Thirty-nine-year-old Idris, a Kano State indigene and leader of the trio, said he formed the gang 10-years ago after quitting his shoe polishing trade because he was not making enough money as he wanted

The police have said the suspects would be charged to court soon.

Source: ThePunch