Police arrest dismissed corporal ‘who led’ Offa robbery gang

The Nigeria police force says it has arrested two suspects that allegedly led the gang that recently robbed a bank in Offa, Kwara state.

A statement issued Monday by Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, identified the arrested suspects as Kunle Ogunleye (aka Arrow) and Michael Adikwu.

The statement identified Adikwu as a dismissed police corporal who once served a jail term upon dismissal from the force.

The statement read: “Two out of the four gang leaders and principal suspects who were declared wanted and their pictures circulated to the media and the public on the 4th of May, 2018 in connection with the Offa bank robbery have been arrested by the joint police investigation team and now in police custody.

“These two vicious and notorious suspects now in police net confessed to be the gang-leaders of their groups.

“Kunle Ogunleye aka Arrow, 35yrs, is a native of Kwara atate, arrested on 20th May, 2018 in Oro town Kwara. His pictures are displayed below while he was participating in the bank robbery and after he was arrested.

“Micheal Adikwu, is a native of Apa LGA Benue state, a dismissed police CPL who was arrested, tried and dismissed from the force and charged to court by the police in 2012 in Kwara state for criminal conspiracy and aiding the escape from lawful custody of armed robbery suspects.

“He served three years in prison and subsequently found his way out in 2015. He became a vicious and notorious gang leader of armed robbery syndicate wanted for several armed robberies in Kwara and other states of the north-central and south-west.

“He was arrested by the Joint Investigation Team in Kwara state two, weeks ago.

“The two suspects have confessed to the crime and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the Offa banks robbery. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation.”

Seven persons — including eight police officers — were killed in the robbery incident which occurred in April.

The two suspects brings the total number of those arrested over the incident to 22.