'I didn't marry to avoid arrest' - Robbery kingpin

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a suspected armed robbery kingpin, Obinna Okorie, who claimed that he did not get married because he wanted to escape being caught by the police.

The 33-year-old Okorie allegedly sponsored many armed robbery gangs that hijacked trucks in several parts of the country.

According to Punch, he had been on the wanted list of most state and federal police formations in the country, after many of his robbery gangs were apprehended by the police, but the suspects failed to give away his location. Continue...


Okorie, it was learnt, was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Command, along Ukpor Expressway in Onitsha, Anambra State.

During interrogation, Okorie said he was formerly a dealer in used canvas shoes from Cameroon to Nigeria before he took to organising robbery gangs to hijack trucks.

He said, “I was living in Awka, Anambra State. It was when my dad died in 1997 that I stopped primary education and I started business. I was supplying ‘Tokunbo’ canvas shoes and clothes from Cameroon to Nigeria. I am the fifth child in my family.

“It is true that I have some robbery gangs that I sent for operations. I started this in 2006. But it is not all of the gangs that were actually working for me. A few of them just used my name to rob. I have three warehouses; they are in Kano, Onitsha and Cameroon. Among the stolen trucks are two 40-feet containers of motor tyres, industrial chemicals and home appliances.

“I had an organised syndicate which made it impossible for the police to reach me directly. At 33, I chose not to get married because I did not want to get caught by the police. I knew that there was no wedding I would do without the police getting to know about it. I knew they could come to arrest me because I was wanted all over by them.”

Okorie was arrested after several complaints had reached the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, about truck robbery activities in which all the suspects named Okorie as their sponsor.

This prompted Manko to direct the SARS, led by Abba Kyari, to go after the suspected robbery kingpin.
The police said that Okorie was arrested shortly after one of his closest business partners was caught in Onitsha.

It was gathered that the SARS had initially planned more than 10 operations to arrest Okorie, but they failed.
The police further revealed that Okorie had been a receiver of stolen goods worth several millions of naira.

The police were able to recover 15 containers whose contents ranged from electronics, refrigerators to home theatres. It was gathered that the suspected robbers, allegedly sponsored by Okorie, were armed with weapons and patrolled the highways on the pretext that they were task force officials. But after the truck drivers had stopped, it was gathered that the gang would then intercept the goods and send the workers fleeing into the bushes.

Some of these gangs were led by one Timothy, who is now late, and Sunday Oscar, who is now serving a jail term at Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Lagos.
After Okorie’s arrest, the police said they recovered six trucks and buses used by his gangs. While three were recovered from Itire area, Lagos, the others were taken from FESTAC Town, and Kirikiri areas of the state.

When contacted for comments, the Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Lelma Kolle, confirmed the arrest of Okorie, adding that the suspect would be charged to court after investigation.

He said, “Okorie has been wanted by the Lagos State Police Command for about 13 years. The suspect is a notorious sponsor of armed robbers who dealt in hijacking trucks. Some of the robberies took place in Apapa, Lagos and other parts of the country, from where the goods were then moved to the South-East where Okorie’s warehouse is located.

“He has warehouses in Onitsha, Kano and in Cameroon where he diverted most of the stolen goods. He was arrested by the SARS with the help of the Interpol in Cameroon. As soon as investigations are concluded, he will be charged to court.”