A 27-year-old robbery suspect, Abdulhameed Ibrahim, who was reportedly arrested after a CCTV footage in a bank in Ogudu, Lagos state revealed his stealing activities in the bank, has confessed how he raided banks, stole huge amount of money which he used to invest in cocaine business.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP, Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspect on Wednesday before newsmen, said Ibrahim was caught after he stole N1.5 million from a new generation bank, located at Ogudu.
Owoseni added that Ibrahim was an ‘unrepentant and remorseless robber who had served jail terms in Plateau and Kaduna states for a similar offence.’
“He was arrested after CCTV footage in the bank showed him stealing the money in one of his exploits,” the CP noted.
Ibrahim, confessing before newsmen, said he was a graduate of the University of Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a former staff of the Saudi Arabia Embassy but was deported from Saudi Arabia in 2011.
He explained that he only stole money from careless banks and cashiers and had invested the money by buying cocaine which he subsequently sells in Abuja.
“I have made over N20 million since I started stealing in banks. I started the operation last month when I came to Lagos from Plateau State.
“I used the money I got from the bank to buy cocaine. I sell the cocaine in Abuja. I made double the price I bought the drug.
“Before I go into the bank, I have a friend called Segun; who prepares the ground for me with the assistance of an insider in the bank.
“On this particular occasion, I went into the bank to deposit money in the bulk room. When I got there, I discovered some amount of money was carelessly placed on the counter. I smartly took it without the female cashier seeing me. She was engrossed in a novel she was reading.
“I walked out of the bulk room and nobody stopped me. I got home and counted the money; it was N1.5 million.
“The personnel of the internal security of that bank just don’t understand their job. The bank where I stole the money is careless. They display their money without minding who comes into the banking hall. I have studied those at the bank; if I had another opportunity, I would love to go to the same bank branch to steal. They are careless.”
When asked why he chose to invest the stolen money on drugs, he said, “I love hard drugs. Since I came back to Nigeria, I’ve been into this act of stealing to sustain my drug life. Police in Lagos have stopped my activities.
“I was called through the hotel intercom that I have a visitor. When the policeman spoke to me through the intercom, I immediately sensed he was a policeman.
“I came out and surrendered myself. I knew I had come to the end of the road,” Ibrahim added.
The CP, however, said the suspect was arrested with items including dollar notes, white powdery substances suspected to be cocaine and some mobile phones.
“The suspect will be charged to curt soon.”
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