Pastor, 4 others arrested over robbery

A senior Pastor at the Ministry of the Holy Ghost, Joe Akan, and four other suspected members of his gang have been arrested in connection with a robbery operation in Agege area of Lagos State, where a Toyota Highlander SUV was snatched from its owner.
Two suspected members of the gang, Charles Lekan, 25, and Uche, who is on the run, worked at the same garage in Agege.
The alleged mastermind, Uche, was said to have sold the idea to Lekan and Pastor Akan last week and reportedly invited Obi Isaac, 33, and Wasiu Jamiu, 26, for the operation, which took place last Friday.
Trouble, however, started after they were unable to sell the car at an initial price of N800,000.
Another suspected accomplice, Olufemi Emmanuel, 39, was contacted to assist in the sale of the car.
The car was taken to three prospective buyers at Owode, Ogun State, Ladipo and Fagba area of Lagos, where the buyers wanted to pay N300,000.
While others agreed to sell it at the give-away price, Lekan refused, an action that led to a misunderstanding between them, with Olufemi (agent) threatening to report them to the police if they sold it for N300,000.
It was further gathered that the suspects removed some parts from the vehicle which they sold at Ladipo. They were alleged to have given Pastor Akan N50,000.

The Pastor
However, Pastor Akan denied culpability, saying “I was at the mechanic workshop (last Wednesday), servicing my bus when I was apprehended by some policemen over my involvement in a car robbery I never participated in.
“I resisted at first, but after they showed me their ID cards and a gun, I followed them to the station, where they told me that my conductor mentioned my name during interrogation.”

‘It is hunger’
However, one of the suspects, Charles, blamed his involvement in the theft on hunger.
He said: “Uche and I worked together at Atogba garage in Agege. I decided to assist him to snatch the highlander SUV, which he said would be sold for N800,000 because I needed money to feed my family as customers are no longer coming as they used to.
“This is my first time of doing this. We did not use any gun or weapon on the owner; we only took the car and sped off.”
The suspects, according to the spokesman of Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, would be charged to court, adding that effort was still on to apprehend their fleeing leader, Uche.