While poverty and deprivation could make one do unsavoury things, there ought to be a limit to the extent one could go. What this Lagos factory worker simply identified as Israel did, very well exceeded that limit.

According to reports, Israel, a casual worker in Hamadig Pure Water Company, on Aminat Burdge Street, Igando, invited a five-man gang to rob his own boss, Yusuf, with the agreement that part of the proceeds would come to him.

But luck ran out on the gang as its success was cut short by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command and two of its member were arrested.

The suspected gang members; Abraham Robinson and Seyi Shomefun, were reportedly apprehended after they succeeded in robbing the manager of sachet water factory. According to them, Israel, who is currently at large, had told the gang that he was broke and needed some money.

According to reports, the manager was preparing to leave the factory on September 13, when the robbers attacked and allegedly dispossessed him of N200,000. But the manager found a way to escape from the scene and raised an alarm which led to the arrest of one of the robbers, Robinson, at the spot. According to police reports:

“Shomefun had earlier parked his Honda Accord on the company’s premises in order to study the manager’s movement. On that day, at about 8.30pm, the robbers came. They successfully robbed their victim of N200,000.

“He was lucky to escape from the robbers and raised the alarm and Robinson was eventually arrested. His confession led to the arrest of the second suspect, Shomefun, who also confessed to his roles in the crime.”

One of the suspects, Shomefun, 37, explained that Israel approached him to organise the robbery though he denied participating in it.

“I am a sculptor. My friend, Seyi, who is working at the factory, asked me to arrange some boys to rob his boss. He said he was broke. I contacted BJ, who invited two of his friends. But I was not around on the day they went for the operation. We did not have the intention to harm the man. We only wanted to get some money from him,” Shomefun said.

The other suspect, Robinson, is a commercial bus driver and father of two children. He said he planned to use his own share of the proceeds to start a business and fend for his family.
“I was a commercial driver. I lost the job some months ago and met with BJ to help me get another job. He asked me to come to his house in Badagry. When I visited him, he told me that he and some people were planning a robbery operation at a sachet water factory in Igando and he asked me to join them.

“He said if we succeeded in the operation, I would get enough money to start a business. But unfortunately, I was arrested that evening. I want the police to have mercy on me. I have never participated in this kind of thing before.”

Punch reports that Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said investigations were ongoing on the case and that the command had intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing members of the gang.

It is quite astonishing the extent folks are willing to go to make ends meet. Days ago, a girl masterminded her own kidnap for money to celebrate her birthday. SMH