Suspected burglars break into store, steal N23m gold in Lagos

Thirty-two-year-old Obande from Okopkwu, Benue State, said he connived with his friends to burgle his employer’s gold store because he needed to pay his house rents, having endured disturbances from his landlady. He said, “I was a security man and lived with my family at Olufunmilayo Close, in the Agbado Ijaiye area of Lagos. I have stayed in Lagos since 2007. I was employed at the place in October 2013 and was earning N17,000 monthly.

“The certificates I used to get the job belong to my younger brother. I needed to pay for my rents at that time. So, I resorted to that action.”

Obande, who is married with two children, added that he used the money he realised from the burglary to relocate his family to Benue State where he started plank business. It was learnt that the SARS operatives arrested him in his hometown.

For 28-year-old Ogaba from Ado, also in Benue State, his N80,000 share was used to register his siblings for a terminal examination.

He said, “I was doing car wash business in the Agege area. I knew Moses when he was staying at neighbouring Iju Ishaga area. What really happened was that he told me he got a security man job at a gold store, and that he planned to burgle the shop and flee with the money.

“He invited me to join him. One morning, he called me on the telephone to say he had already carried out his plan and asked me to meet him at a location. There, he gave me 35 pieces to sell for him, and I did and made N80,000. I used the money to register my siblings for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations.”

In his own confession, Ezeobi, 36, from Anambra State, claimed he had only provided Obande with a buyer for the stolen gold pieces, but did not collect any money.

He said, “I work as a printer and also do video editing jobs. I got to know Moses in 2010 through one Emma. I was formerly living in Kogi State. It is true that he called my number after he burgled the store and asked me to get him a buyer for the stolen goods. But I never collected any money from him. I did not know how much he even sold them.”