Four years after a notorious bank robbery kingpin, Clement Abanara, also known as Millions, was arrested by operatives of the Force Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, charged to court and remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Center for coordinating bank robberies in Lagos State, his gang members have revealed how he had continued to coordinate more armed robberies across the country while still serving his term in prison.
Seven members of his gang were arrested while planning to rob a commercial bank in Asaba area of Delta State.
The robbers were identified as Sunday Solemu, Alfred Robinson, Abuchi Alfred, Emeka Ilo, Ekene Igbanifore and two dismissed soldiers, Ayeni Samuel and Emeka Ariston. A GPMG, six AK-47, 51 magazines, 1,620 rounds of live ammunition, two vehicles, breaking instruments and charms, were recovered from them during the raid.
Police source disclosed that the IRT operatives, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, clampdown on the suspects after they launched a manhunt for members of the gang who carried out the Ebonyi State bullion van attack and it was discovered that the robbery operation was coordinated by Millions, a notorious armed robber serving time in prison
A source disclosed that IRT operatives arrested Alfred Robinson,a cousin to Millions, based in Asaba Delta state revealed how Millions had been coordinating their operations from his detention in Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos.
He disclosed that Millions, who took part in the 2015 bank robberies in Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac and Agbara (all in Lagos), where millions of naira were carted away, brought in the soldiers who assisted them in organizing their operations.
In his confession, Alfred Robinson, 45, said; “I am from Gelegele Local Government Area of Edo State and I am married with four children. I was a wood logger before I went into oil bunkering.
“It was my cousin, Millions who introduced me to the oil bunkering business. Millions also got me involved in armed robbery. I made the N5 million invested in oil bunkering from the 2015 Lekki bank robbery.
“That was the business I was doing before my friend, Sunday Soyemi, brought this Ebonyi state bullion van robbery. I called my cousin in prison who gave me all the expertise I needed for the operation.
“He was the person who linked me to the soldiers I used for the operation, he also advised that we should not use our vehicles for the operation, but we should use robbed cars.
“We followed his instructions. Soyemi brought the guns and dynamite we used for the operation but the operation failed because we weren’t prepared at the time the bullion van came to our spot. We exchanged fire with the police escort and the van escaped,” he stated.
Another Member of the gang, Sunday Soyemi, 46, a native of Bayelsa state confessed that the bullion van robbery failed because the police escort following it noticed their presence and opened fire on them.
“We weren’t prepared when the bullion van and the escort approached our location. They opened fire on us and we weren’t prepared. We shot back but the van escaped.
“We killed four of the policemen and left Ebonyi state immediately. We proceeded to Akwa, Anambra State and robbed a man of the sum of N7.5million, then we were in Asaba, strategizing on bank to rob when the police swooped on us.”
Ayeni Samuel and Emeka Ariston, the dismissed soldiers said they got involved in robbery because they were looking for money to support their families.
They also confessed they got to know Millions through their friend serving at the Ikoyi Prison and Millions promised to assist them if they worked for him.
Ayeni in his confession said; “I joined the Nigeria army in 2003 and I was dismissed because I took part in illegal duty. After my dismissal in 2014, I have no job, then I was linked to Millions who is in prison.
“He was the person that linked me to his cousin, Alfred, that they needed my coursemate and me to give them military cover.
“We went for the operation with our uniforms but we were unlucky the bullion van escaped from the scene. I also took part in the Akwa Ibom robbery the next day where I got N150,000 as my share but I was arrested while we were making plans to rob another bullion van in Asaba,” he stated.
