Robbers On Sale

Suspect reveals Ladipo Market is den of robbers

A robbery suspect says Ladipo Motor Parts Market in Lagos is brimming with criminal gangs.

 

The Ladipo Motor Spare Parts Market in Mushin area of Lagos, according to an armed robbery suspect who was arrested by the  Special Anti-Robbery Squad of Lagos State Police Command, John Onyekachi Oshomi, is a den of robbers where gang members are recruited among the traders who double as spare part dealers in the day and criminals in the night.

The revelation came from the 25-year-old Enugu State born notorious criminal who swore that most traders stock their shops with stolen cars and other properties they get during robbery operations.

According to the suspect, most robbery gangs operating in Lagos metropolis recruit their members from traders at the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market.

The Sunday, who was reportedly arrested by the police with one of his gang members, Patrick Ifada, with guns and bullets at Festac Town while going for an operation, confessed that despite the fact that the market is known for sale of motor parts, many of the traders there are also involved in other criminal activities such as bank and highway robbery, car snatching and others.

Crying profusely while being paraded by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, Sunday said he became involved in robbery because of bad friends and had to confess so that God will forgive him and save him from his predicament.

The suspect stated that when he came to Lagos, he started as a commuter bus conductor and later his friend, Ifada, convinced him to join armed robbery.

Sunday added that he was introduced to different gangs, saying there are several gangs in the market ranging from beginners, those that have matured known as ‘in-between’ and and big time robbers.

He explained that beginners are those still learning to be robbers, while those known as ‘in-between’ are those who had completed their training and do not have means to buy arms for operation.

Lastly, there are the big time operators called 'Ladipo Big Boys', who have assorted weapons and can hire them out to robbers for operations.

He revealed that most people posing as traders are actually robbers, noting that they only use the market as cover and in the night they go for robbery operation.

Sunday said not only the market is used for information dissemination, it also serves as take off base for robbers in the night and other drug related dealings.

He revealed that there are several take off points for robbers in the market. These include Five Star area and some axis that are accessible to Oshodi-Apapa expressway.

"Go there in the evening around 7.00 pm and observe and you will see people mainly criminals from different parts of Lagos assemble in the market to plan and move for operation."