Metro
Maid Leads Gang Members to Rob Employer of N2.8m in Lagos
Three persons have been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly robbing a woman, Esther Okanlawon, of N2.8m, at her house in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
The defendants, Pius Sunday, 28; Cynthia Ikade, 19; and Loveth Uloko, 20, were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful conversion.
Ikade, who worked as a maid for Okanlawon at her house in Mushin, was said to have suddenly stated that she was no longer interested in the job.
Her employer was said to have called the agent through whom she was employed, but the latter could not be reached on the phone.
The teenager then requested that Sunday, whom she claimed was her brother, picked her from the house.
Sunday, while leaving the house with Ikade, then urged the woman to call him anytime she needed another maid to replace Ikade, saying he was also an agent.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Okanlawon called him after three months to bring in another maid, as he sent Uloko.
Sunday and Ikade, along with one Henry, still at large, allegedly invaded the woman’s house on October 10, 2022, and robbed the family, with the help of Uloko, who allegedly opened the gate and kitchen back door for them.
The defendants were arraigned on three counts.
The charges read in part, “That you, Pius Sunday, Ikade Cynthia, Loveth Uloko, and one other at large, on or before October 10, 2022, at on Isiaka Nade Street, Mushin, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, while in the service of the victim, as an agent to housemaids, did intentionally arm yourselves with a locally-made gun and a knife and robbed Mrs Esther Okanlawon and her two visitors of the sum of 2,150,000, a wedding ring valued at N300,000, 500 pounds, 170 US dollars, 100 Canadian dollars, a handbag valued at 15 pounds and other valuables, all property of Esther Okanlawon and her family, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
The plea of the defendants was not taken.
The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, pleaded that the three defendants be remanded in a custodial centre for 30 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, A. O. Salawu, adjourned the case till February 9, 2023, for legal advice.
The Punch
By Eric Elezuo
A security expect and Chief Executive Officer, Safety Signatures Limited, Dr. Cynthia Gregg, has identified the need for individuals to have intimidate and dominion over their fellow man as one of the reasons for the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Nigerian Civil space, thereby resulting in insecurity and unsafe habitation.
Gregg made the observation while participating as a panelist during the panel session of the 2023 National Security Conference of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), on Thursday at the Civic Centre, Lagos.
The security practitioner noted that the issue of small arms and light weapons in the hands of non state actors, has become a major concern to all and sundry as killings abound, affecting both men in uniform and their civilian counterparts in the country today.
“We have noticed that in our society today, the person who carries the weapon is the most feared, and so because everyone wants to be feared, wants to dominate and intimidate the other person, they go to any length to acquire illegal weapons. That explains why when a robber encounters someone, the first thing they do is brandish a weapon or unleash some brutality to subdue their victim. It is the norm, unfortunately,” she said.
She further called on the public to encourage and help the law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties by saying something when they see something, and advocated community engagement to deal with challenges of proliferation of lethal weapons in the hands of non state actors.
Again, Gregg lauded the efforts of NAOSNP in using its platform to propagate safety and security through fruitful engagements with relevant institutions and reportage of credible security stories as well as advocacy through its enviable conferences.
The Lagos State Police Command had said the autopsy conducted on Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, had been concluded.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to The Punch during a telephone conversation on Thursday.
He said, “Autopsy has been concluded. Awaiting results.”
Earlier on, while responding to an enquiry by the paper concerning arrests made by the police in connection with the late singer’s death, Hundeyin said, “I can’t answer questions on the arrests yet because I don’t have that update. However, the nurse is in our custody; I can confirm that.”
The body of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has been exhumed for autopsy.
Lagos State Police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed the development via his X handle on Thursday.
The Lagos Police image maker wrote: “Exhumation completed. Autopsy to commence. #JusticeForMohad #Justice4Mohbad.”
