How we killed policeman, snatched expensive cars – Gang leader

A five-man gang that specialised in carjacking in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been rounded up by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.

It was learnt that the police recovered one Ak-47 together with a magazine containing 15 rounds of live ammunition belonging to a policeman allegedly killed by the gang, and two locally-made guns with three live cartridges.

City Round gathered that the detectives acting on a tip-off apprehended the suspects – Gbenga Yinka aka Infinity, Prince Chinedu, John Chidiebere, Shawama Opkara and Anayo Victor – recently in Ibadan.

In an interview during the week, 36-year-old Yinka, who claimed to be a car dealer, said he formed the gang after some Customs officials in Akure, Ondo State, intercepted two cars he bought in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

He explained that the gang carjacked many expensive vehicles in Ibadan and sold them in Rivers State.

He stated, “I am a secondary school dropout and married with four children. I was based in Port Harcourt with my family. Sometime in May 2019, some Customs officials seized two cars which I bought from Cotonou. I became broke and frustrated after that incident. I met one of my gang members, Prince (Chinedu), in Bayelsa State and he suggested that we should go into carjacking.

“I told him that I can’t snatch cars in Port Harcourt because I am popular in the city, but I suggested that we should go to my hometown in Ibadan because I am not known around the town. Prince accepted my idea and he brought in four of his friends to form the gang. I bought two locally-made guns from one Baba Ayoka in the Sabo area of Ibadan for N70,000 and he gave me seven live cartridges.’’