Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have arrested three persons for alleged kidnap and murder of two bureau de change (BDC) operators at Ikorodu area of Lagos.
Alhaji Yakubu Musa and Alhaji Hassan Umoru, both from Kebbi State, were on March 14 abducted after they were lured by a gang to a place under the guise of changing money.
The victims were said to have gotten to the destination, only to be taken to an uncompleted building at Odogunyan, Ikorodu, where they were bound, swindled of N1.6million and shot dead.
It was gathered that the gang had provided an account number where the victims transferred N1.6million into before killing them and dumping their bodies in a septic tank.
Those arrested in connection to the crime, Oluwatosin Olarewaju, Mayowa Olawuni and Babatunde Idris, are assisting SARS operatives in their investigation.
Narrating how the victims were killed, Olarewaju said it was the leader of the gang, identified as ‘Pencil’, who killed the victims.
Olarewaju, who admitted to have lured the victims, said they were killed because they already knew him, adding that ‘Pencil’ tore their clothes and used same to gag their mouths before shooting them dead.
He said: “‘Pencil’ and I planned the deal. But the intention was not to kill them. ‘Pencil’ said I should convince the operators to come. That an Alhaja wanted to buy $10,000. The operators came on a motorbike and called us from Trailer Park bus stop, Odogunyan.
“Pencil directed his own ‘okada’ man to take the money changers to a boy’s quarter around Odogunyan. By the time I joined them at the boy’s quarter, I met them lying down with their hands bound. ‘Pencil’ asked me to lie on the floor too, to make it look like I didn’t have a hand in the game.
“Pencil told them that the Alhaja they came to meet was owing him $10,000 and that his gang had come to collect the money. They started beating them. I also received my fair share of the beating to make it look real. The operators begged ‘Pencil’ to stop beating them, that they would give them money for their freedom.
“Pencil instructed them to transfer the money into one Femi’s account. But when ‘Pencil’ called to know if the money had been paid, the account holder said no.
“He became angry and threatened to kill them if he didn’t receive the confirmation of payment. ‘Pencil’ accused me of trying to outsmart him and then said if he didn’t get payment confirmation by 4:55pm, he would kill all of us.”
Continuing, Olarewaju said one of the operators at that point suggested that another account, preferably the same bank as theirs, be given them so that they would do instant transfer.
“That was when I contacted Olufunmilayo, the nurse who treated me when I was ill. The operator paid in N1.6 million into that account. By 8pm that day, they (gang members) tore the operators’ clothes and used it to cover their mouths.
“When I asked ‘Pencil’ why he did that, he asked if I wanted to teach him his job? He took one of the operators to the back and later sent for the second one. He shot both of them dead and said that was the only way to cover up our tracks, since they already knew me.
“We contacted the nurse the following day to go and withdraw the money, but she could only withdraw N500,000. A gang member collected it from her. She later withdrew N500,000 and lastly N470,000. I got N340,000 as my share,” he said.
The Nation learnt that their arrest followed a directive from Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu to his men to investigate the whereabouts of the operators, following complaints from their colleagues that they had gone missing.
Efforts to get a reaction from police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), were not successful last night.
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