Officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS), attached to the Lagos State Police Command, on Thursday, arrested a seven-man robbery gang and its female leader.

The arrest was made while the suspects were planning to rob Bolatito Hotel, at Kola Bus Stop, in Ijaiye area of the state.

The police gave the names of the suspects as Amadi Igwe, 41, Raymond Chukwuka, 24, Ignatius Okeredi, 27, Michael Madu, 52, and one Okechukwu Jerome, 28, who is currently at large.
The police said they acted on a distress call from a staff of the hotel when he noticed suspicious men loitering close the hotel.

The security operatives were said to have surrounded the hotel and carried out a room to room search of all its occupants.
The officers discovered two locally made guns and 12 live ammunition were recovered from the robbery suspects.

According to the alleged gang leader, Chioma Ezekwesiri, she arranged for the guns from one Raymond Chukwuka, also known as Stubborn, claiming that it was supposed to be used for a land matter, but the police alleged that the group was preparing to rob a fertiliser dealer of about N8 million during his stay at the hotel.

The 35-year-old alleged female leader of the gang also claimed that she graduated from UNILAG in 1999, and was called to the bar in 2000.She said she operates a Non-Governmental Organisation, called Youth of All Nations Empowerment Association.

Authorities of the University of Lagos have refuted her claim of graduating from the institution, as well as her call to bar by Tunji Busari, of Cognate Solicitors.

The chairman of Youth of All Nations Empowerment Association, J.E. Joshua, also denied that Chioma, was the founder of the association.

The seven man gang were remanded in court, and are currently facing a three count charge of robbery, conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearms.