Confessions Of Dare-Devil Robbers…our Business Of Blood And Money – How T.b. Joshua Saved Us
must always take those stuffs. If you donât take those things, you will have some modicum of human feelings in you and it would hamper your performance. But if you take those drugs, you will see human being as mere flies.
At that point you can even kill?
You finish anything that comes your way.
Even your mother?
Of course. If I donât kill her, someone will kill her, because she will go and âbust my runsâ. In a car, anybody you first see that knows you or you know that person, itâs the person you kill first, because it is that person that will go and spread the news about you if you spare him or her.
Did you then give up armed robbery?
I never gave up armed robbery. After my boys were killed, I relocated to my town and I organized another group again. I moved to Delta State in 2005 with 13 boys. I lived in Effurun.
Why did you choose Effurun and not Warri?
Because that place is a very good hideout. If you commit any crime, and you run to mechanic village and hide, nobody would wise up to you. Ah, I terrorized that place o, and nobody knew it was me. They caught some innocent boys instead.
So, what was your turning point?
I met a friend that never knew I was an armed robber. All the time, I took him to clubs, he would be asking me: âyou are not free with people.â And I would tell him: âI am not used to people; I donât like people.â In fact, I didnât use to go out in the daytime. I only went out at night, and before I go out, my boys must carry a surveillance of the area for me; because I was suspicious of everybody, every time, even my boys. I didnât trust them. But this friend of mine, when we were in his house, we watched Emmanuel TV (the satellite TV of The Synagogue,Church Of All Naitons). I asked him to switch off the TV. He insisted that he liked the programme because he always saw miracles happen there everyday.
Was he an armed robber too?
No, he wasnât and he didnât know I was an armed robber. The TV caught my attention. Sometimes we saw some miracles that shocked us. Then, it became a habit for me to come to his place to watch the TV. One day, I said: âI have never been to Lagos, how can I meet this man?â It all seemed like a joke. He told me he knew Lagos. He brought me to Lagos and dropped me at Isheri, Idimu. I told him to go back from there, that I can find my way.
Being your first time in Lagos, how did you find your way?
When I arrived in Lagos, I asked for Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. One Yoruba guy gave me directions. I came to the church that morning but they did not allow me to enter.
Why?
Because I wanted to follow the other gate, I thought it was like the normal church in Warri where you can enter at will. I was asked to join the queue. Discouraged by the long queue, I went out to smoke cigarettes and to drink water. I came back and joined the queue and entered the church. They took us to sit in the visitorsâ part of the church. As the man of God was preaching, he said, âThere is an armed robber thereâ he pointed at where I was. I refused to stand up. Then, he said, âif you like come out, if you like donât come out, anything that follows you are the one that will cryâ. After the first service closed, I went to drink Chelsea dry gin, and smoked some cigarettes. I went home but I could not sleep. I could not do anything.
Which house?
I lodged at Bakem Hotel. I couldnât sleep; it was as if I was going insane. I suffered that through Monday but on Tuesday I ran back to the church and explained to one of the sisters. She asked me to come back on Thursday. On Thursday, when I came back, I was given one small paper, on it was written the instruction: Please, come back on Sunday by 6am. I came by 9am. When I showed the small paper, they took me inside and gave me a seat. Luckily, that day, the man of God was preaching. When he called armed robbers, my seat suddenly became as hot as a burning charcoal. It was as if it was on fire. I sweated profusely. I stood up, but a voice told me to sit down. But the seat was becoming too hot for me. Then, I rose and walked towards the man of God. I couldnât see him. I only saw light, but I heard his voice talking to me. Then, I didnât hear anything again until I saw myself on the ground when my eyes opened and I beheld the crowd. He asked me to stand. Today, he gave me N200,000 and four bags of rice and a brand new Bible. Since I was born, nobody has given me a Bible as a gift. The gift of the Bible is enough for me.
When was your last operation in Warri?
Early this month (November, 2009). It was a highway robbery. We mounted a blockade on the road