Robbers attack pastor, family on way from church

 

The long arms of law has caught up with three members of a robbery gang for allegedly attacking a cleric, Pastor Sylvester Anso, his wife and son while they were going back home from their church located on Amaku Segbor Street in the Ijanikin area of Lagos.

It was learnt that the suspects ─ Ibrahim Toheeb (20), Adam Morenkeji (18), Sodiq Ganiyu (20) ─ and others at large, descended on the family members while they were trying to cross to the other side of the road at Alaisa bus stop in the area.

Toheeb, it was learnt, had earlier been arrested sometime in November, 2014 for being a member of the Eiye confraternity before he was later released.  The incident occurred on Sunday, January 11, 2015 at about 5.30am.

The suspects, who were said to be wielding a gun among other weapons, took to their heels after snatching a bag, which reportedly contained phones and a sum of N2,500 from the pastor’s wife.

Later Anso was said to have described the attackers to some youths he met in the neighbourhood.

The three were later nabbed on the fateful day and handed over to the Ijanikin Police Station, from where they were transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Subsequently, a prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu, Uwadione, brought them before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on two counts of armed robbery.

The charges read, “That you, Ibrahim Toheeb, Adam Morenkeji, Sodiq Ganiyu, and others now at large, on January 11, 2015 at about 5.30am, at Alaisa bus stop, Ijanikin, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; armed robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 (b) and punishable under Section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, Cap 398, Vol. XXII, Law of the Federation, 2003 as amended.

“That you, and others now at large, on the same day, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, while armed with a locally-made pistol, knife and other weapons, did rob a a bag containing N2,500, phones, bible of one Pastor Sylvester Anso, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act. Cap 398, Vol. XXII, Law of the Federation 2003 as amended.”

The defendant’s plea was not taken by the magistrate, O.A. Akinde, who ordered that he be remanded in custody and his case file be referred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

The case was adjourned till March 17, 2015.