OGUN TRADITIONAL RULER APPREHENDS THREE NOTORIOUS KID ROBBERS
Three teenage boys who serve as pathfinders for armed robbers have been apprehended by a traditional ruler in Ogun State.
The traditional ruler of Owode-Egba in Obafemi-Owode local government of the state,Oba Kolawole Sobowale made this known ,adding that,the underage suspected criminals were apprehended in his domain, Owode-Egba community.
The trio teenage suspected bandits while speaking with journalists at Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre,in Abeokuta also confessed to the crimes,admitting that they were addicted to smoking of Indian hemp as well as belonging to armed robbery gang
In the course of interview with them,it was discovered that,the boys whose ages range between 11,12 and 14 years were from a broken homes,who slept in the hideout of their robbery operations.
The teenager(nameswitheld) said their gang leader who is on the run always take them out for robbery operations,having armed them with knives,explaining that in most of their operations they would scale fence and hide within the premises to study and give signal to their leaders on when to strike.
One of the boys, who prefers to be call Sina Rambo, said he cherish the name, as an ambition to be a replica of the notorious armed robber,known with the nickname,Sina Rambo.
‘I am called Sina Rambo,because people see me as replica of Sina Rambo. I like to be popular like him,and I love the name. I smoke Indian hemp alongside my two other colleagues’,he said in Yoruba language.
All the three teenagers, also unanimously confessed being pathfinders for robbery operations, adding that,that they were equally engaged in smoking of marijuana and other social vices,which include snatching of mobile phones.
However,the royal father disclosed that,after apprehension of the three alleged kid armed robbers, he took them to police station,but the police were helpless,as they could not be detained because of their ages.
The monarch explained further that, at that stage and to avoid returning them back to the society and to avoid further crimes being perpetrated by them,he accommodated them in the palace for three days for temporary rehabilitation, and subsequent handover to Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Affairs.
’As a father am worried about future of these kids. The case was reported to police in Owode,but they could not be detained because of their ages,so I have to take them to the palace’,the monarch said.
‘After spending about three days in the palace,with the aim to rehabilitate them. I now resolve to hand them over to Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Affairs. As you can see them and hear from their confession,they need total rehabilition’,he said
The royal father expressed worry over incessant criminal activities in his community and environs, particularly with new trend of using teenagers as pathfinders for robbery operations.
‘ I want government to come to our aid. We cannot sleep with our two eyes closed again in Owode-Egba. We are also worried about this new dimension of kid armed robbers. At ages 11,12 and 14 turning into armed bandits, one of them even claimed he wants to be a replica of Sina Rambo,a dare-devil armed robber’,the royal father expressed shock.
‘Gentlemen of the press,as you can see, they are wild animals that need to be tame now. They are addicted to Indian hemp. Please police should help to investigate further. We sleep with eyes open now in Owo-Egba’,Sowemimo added.
‘ Am taking them to Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare now. They cannot be detain in police station because of their ages and I can’t continue to keep them in the palace’,Sobowale said.
When contacted, Director of Social Welfare Ogun State,Olumide Sotubo confirmed receipt and handover of the alleged kid robbers to the authority by the traditional ruler,adding that,they equally confessed their criminal roles to the authority.
Sotubo told our correspondent that,the suspects would be charge to family court,ahead of their transfer to Juvenile Correctional Home located in Asero area of Abeokuta.
‘Yes I can confirm to you that,the royal father has brought them to us at Social Welfare Service,and they have individually confessed their roles in criminal activities. We are going to charge them to family court’,he said.
The Director added further that,after their admittance at the correctional home,the authority will commence rehabilitation and to reintegrate them,and thereafter locate their family,stressing that the state government has zero tolerance for out of school for children.
