By Evelyn Usman

For some time now, traders at the popular Mushin market in Lagos state have suffered untold pains ät the hands of burglars who broke into their shops at ungodly hours, carted away cash in the shops and goods worth several millions of naira.

Crime Alert gathered that these burglars usually visited with trucks used in loading the stolen goods which were sold at give away prices to ready buyers. The goods which ranged from household appliances, clothings, foot wears and baby range of products are usually taken as far as Onitsha market, Anambra state and the popular Aba market in Abia State.

TRADERS complain
Worried by the spate of these attacks, the traders lodged complaints to the Police at Mushin, consequent upon which strategic measures were put in place to curb the alarming menace. The strategy paid off following the arrest of three suspected members of one of the robbery gangs that specialized in the act. They were arrested while trying to break into one of the shops last week.

No regrets:
When approached, one of the suspects who identified himself as Ifeanyi Okolie, showed no sign of remorse. He blamed his indulgence on what he described as ‘the harsh economic situation in Nigeria’.

Okolie, was paraded at the Lagos State Police headquarters alongside other 45 robbery suspects that have been terrorizing the state.

According to him, members of his gang usually retired to hotels at the end of any successful operation where the loot is squandered on commercial sex workers and expensive clothes. He told Crime Alert that robbers usually settled for commercial sex workers in order to avoid selling out their true identities.

How I was lured into robbery
His words: “My friend, Chukwuemeka lured me into robbery. I saw him dolling out money to some friends at a beer parlour last year.

We all call him big boy because he could pay as much as N30, 000 to N50, 000 for drinks at a sitting. When I went to him to show me the way, he told me what he was into but said he had never killed anybody. I decided to join him because of hardship.

Harsh condition
If not for the harsh condition, I would not be standing here today. I want the Federal Government to come to the aid of idle youths by providing us work to do to earn a living just as it is being done elsewhere in the world.

We go for cash only:
“If I can get something to keep me busy, I won’t go into robbery. The first time I went with them, we burgled a tile’s shop. We do not steal goods because one will easily be arrested. What we do is to go for the cash. Traders usually keep cash in their shops.

They have an inbuilt safe in their shop where they keep money. At the end of the first operation, three of us got N550, 000 each. The gang leader got the largest share. Out of my share, I bought a fairly used car for N200, 000. I bought some new clothes and kept the rest at Motilado hotel in Isolo,” he stated.

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Obcglobal:
You area very stupid for saying that federal government should provide you job, that it was as a result of joblessness that you resorted to stealing, what did you do with that 550000 naira that you said was your own share in your burglar? Can you now see that you chose your trade which is more beneficial to you not knowing that every is for the thief but one day is for the owner, you are a disgrace to humanity!