How we robbed Basket Mouth, by suspect

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two of the suspected armed robbers who allegedly robbed a popular comedian, Bright Okpocha (aka Basket Mouth) at gun point in his Lekki home, a few months ago.The Police later recovered the six phones stolen from him and have since declared the hoodlums wanted.

However, luck ran out on two of the suspects, as they were arrested last week by a team of policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ilasamaja, Titilayo Oluwasanmi, during another robbery operation.

One of them, Chibuzor Ugwu, gave a graphic account of how the comedian was robbed. “We didn’t plan to rob him. We were vandalising some vehicles along the street when we sighted some exotic vehicles in a compound and we decided to enter the place to vandalise the vehicle.

“It was while we were trying to vandalise the cars that I looked through the windows of the house and I sighted some photographs of Basket Mouth and I told my guys that we would make fortune.

“I told them to look at what I saw. When they saw the photographs, they all agreed with me that we were going to get some money.”We used breaking instruments to break into the house. When we entered the house, I saw Basket Mouth for real and I pointed a gun at him and he started begging us not to harm his family, because his wife and children were afraid. I assured him that we would not harm them if he cooperated with us.

“We were disappointed when he told us that he had no money. We didn’t believe him, so we threatened to kill him if we ransacked the house and see money. “He told us that the only money in the house was $200 in his wallet. He asked his wife whether she had any money at home and she said no.

“We collected the $200 and ransacked the house. We didn’t see any money, so we believed him. We collected six phones from the house and left. We did not hurt any member of his family.

“I was even surprised that a celebrity like him was not having money at home.”He continued: “I was into advance fee fraud, but it is no longer giving money. I switched over to armed robbery since the job I knew well is no more paying.

“I brought the gun from Benue State. I am the gang leader. I formed the gang. We were three gang members. This boy arrested with me did not go to the Basket Mouth’s operation; he just came to Lagos. I just brought him from the village and I am training him.  

“The two others that followed me to the operation are on the run. I was arrested at the Ilasamaja area of the state. We were going for another operation when my vehicle broke down on the road. I left the vehicle and left my boy. I was called to come and identify my car and it was when I went to identify my car that I was arrested.”

The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspects, said they were arrested after a gun battle.“Three pistols, four cartridges and four Ak47 rifle, with 12 cartridges, were recovered from them.

“We had earlier recovered the six phones stolen from Basket Mouth. We have declared manhunt for other members of the gang who are on the run,” he added.