Police arrest two suspected gun dealers in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspects, for allegedly bringing guns into the state to sell. The suspects, identified as Tunde Jimoh and Matthew Olu were arrested at a hideout in Ilorin, Kwara State. According to the police, the suspects wanted to buy four AK-47 guns with 128 rounds of ammunition from Kwara State, which would be escorted by a fake soldier to Lagos. Their plans were foiled when they were arrested by operatives of the state Special Anti-Robbery Squad. One of the suspects Jimoh, 28, who hails from Okenne, spoke to reporters, he said he was unaware of the guns. He said, “I am a commercial driver. I work in Osogbo, Osun State. It was one of my friends who pleaded with me to help him drive a car from Osogbo to Lokoja. He said he had a customer in Lokoja that wanted to buy a car. He told me there was a gun in the boot. I told him I could not go alone, and he said he would come with me. In the process, the police arrested both of us. 

“I am married with two children. I had helped my friend to bring a vehicle from Ilorin to Kaduna many times in the past. I do not know anything about gunrunning.” However, the other suspect, Olu, 43, an indigene of Yegba in Kogi State, who usually disguised as a soldier during their trips, confessed that he went into the gunrunning business because of poverty. He said, “I needed some money. A cousin called Gboye said someone was going to pay me some money, and I should come over to Lokoja. “While in Lokoja on December 20, the person told me to come to Ilorin and bring a car for him. He said he would give me N50,000. I knew the vehicle had a gun. It was while I was to collect it that we were arrested.” The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who cconfirmed the arrest of the gun dealers, said other members of the gang were still being hunted by the police. He said, “The two suspects were arrested where they went to procure guns. They are in SARS custody and efforts are on to arrest other members connected.”