Armed robbers strangle driver in Lagos

Firstclass newsline gathtered that operatives of the Anti-Robbery
Squad of the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, Lagos
State, have arrested a five-man gang for allegedly strangling a cab
driver, Sonye Chukwudi, aka Zack Friday.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the robbers ─ Anthony Toms (20),
Godwin Francis (25), Michael Inyang (21), Evidence David (22), Etuk
Tony (23) ─ tricked the 32-year-old to the Ransome Kuti Gardens,
Anthony Village, thinking he had a lot of money.
They were said to have bound him hands and feet before strangling him,
only to discover he had only his phone and N4,750 on him.
Firstclass newsline was told that the suspects hid the corpse in the gardens.
They were about escaping in the victim's white Mercedes Benz E320
saloon car, when a team of policemen, acting on a tip-off, apprehended
them.
The incident happened on Sunday around 9pm.
A police source said the suspects thought Chukwudi was rich because of
his car which he usually parked around the Ikeja GRA for hire service.
He said, "They were four that planned the crime. Toms was their
informant. He told them the man was rich.
"He told Chukwudi that he had a job for him. He said the man would
carry some flowers for a customer from Anthony Village to Obanikoro."
It was learnt that Toms, who hails from Cross River State, also
arranged with another friend to drive the victim's car after it had
been stolen.
A police source said the man, who was to drive Chukwudi's car, alerted
the police to the operation.
The policemen reportedly trailed him to the scene.
Firstclass newsline learnt that around 9pm, the victim drove into the
gardens and parked his car facing the Gbagada Expressway.
It was gathered that Toms began to load some bouquet of flowers into
the booth of the car.
A source said, "Toms called the victim to assist him. As he stepped
out of the car, other members came out of their hiding place and hit
him in the head with a plank.
"They bound his legs and hands and used his clothes to cover his
mouth. They then strangled him."
Firstclass newsline was told that the suspects ransacked the
deceased's pocket and found his phone and N4,750.
"Soon after, they called their hired driver to pick them because none
of them could drive.
"As soon as the driver got to the place, the police surrounded the
suspects," the source said.
Firstclass newsline was told that the police were forced to open fire
on two of the gang members who attempted to escape.
They sustained gunshot injuries in the legs.
The police were said to have found the victim's corpse hidden in the
gardens and covered with flowers.
Firstclass newsline was told that Chukwudi lived alone in the Egbeda
area of Lagos, while his wife and four children lived in their
hometown in Imo State.
It was learnt that none of the suspects had their relatives in Lagos
as they came from Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Anambra states.
The prime suspect, Toms, however told our firstclass newsline he
never meant to kill the victim.
He said, "I am a gardener. I work in that garden at Anthony. I met the
man about two years ago.
"That day, I just wanted to collect the money and steal his car, which
we estimated at about N2m. He struggled with us and died in the
process."
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu,
said he would call back.
But he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
But a police source said the men were arraigned on Wednesday before an
Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate's Court.
They were said to have been remanded pending legal advice from the
Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Firstclassnewsline.net