Police foil attempted to ripoff colleague over N300m

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a trader in Alaba International Market, Anthony Nwogu, for attempting to kill his colleague, Afam Anazodo, in Isheri area of the state.

According to police authorities, Nwogu and another person at large on March 21, 2013, set out to kill Anazodo at his home when policemen stopped them for another offence.

It was learnt that after interrogation, Nwogu also confessed that he was going to murder Anazodo, he described as a wicked businessman.

A police source said, “In the afternoon of March 21, Nwogu and another person he identified as Oyinbo, were attempting to rip off  a car at gunpoint around Satellite Town when policemen sighted them. On sighting the policemen, they off their gun and threw it into the nearby bush and ran.

“Mr. Nwogu was later arrested while the other guy escaped. Upon interview, he claimed that they were on their way to murder Anazodo, adding that they needed the vehicle for transport.

“He also said that the gun was licensed but he was not the owner.”

Nwogu said Anazodo deserved to be smash to death because of his wicked heart which he operated on his business.

He said, “I have 4 shops in Alaba Market where I sell label compact discs. On the note, Afam (Anazodo) market us through his wicked schemes. We had reported him to policemen several times, but he always managed to go scot-free while our business face the consequences.

“One day, I approached one of my colleague, Nnaemeka Njoku, who owns a licensed gun. I told him that he should borrow me his gun and that I needed to use it for an operation. He agreed but said I would have to give him my car as collateral and he will give it to me back after I had bring the gun back.

“I had planned with Oyinbo that we would storm Afam’s house and kill him. I don’t know how to use a gun so Oyinbo accepted that he going to pull the trigger. On way getting to Afam’s house, we agree that it would be better if we used a stolen car to carry out our operation to avoid tracing. It was as we were trying to snatch a car from a man that policemen arrested me.”

The reporter also  learnt that the owner of the gun, Njoku, had also been arrested by policemen at Area E Command.

It was notice that as they were searching his home, policemen also recovered a bulletproof vest.

Njoku, who claimed to own seven shops in the same market, said he had no hand in the crime as he only lent Nwogu his gun.

“My pump-action gun is licensed. I have seven shops and I import kitchen utensils. I did not join them in the operation and I should be released,” he said.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

“A double-barrelled gun was recovered from them and they will be charged with attempted murder,” she said.