A Suspect, who usually lends his gun to a gang of three, has told police that he bought the gun to scare away rival cult gangs.

Omole Ridwan, 21, was picked up by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at his parents’ house in Ajah, Lagos, after the three robbery suspects were arrested in Somolu, Lagos.

Taiwo Lawal, 23, Kabiru Ajiboye, 24 and Seyi Ayetoba, 27, were arrested last Thursday night while trying to steal a motorcycle.

Their victim raised the alarm, drawing the attention of an RRS patrol team.

The suspects were chased and arrested, through the assistance of community members.

Items recovered from them include a locally-made short pistol with a 9mm, AK-47 live cartridge, and a knife.

Omole, who confessed to being an Aiye cult member, said: “I bought the gun from a secondary school mate for N9,000. I got it because of rival cult members, who were disturbing me on the street. They knew I belonged to Aiye Confraternity and yet they want me to be one of them. I bought the gun last September.

“Because my friend, Seyi Ayetoba knew that I had a gun at home, he came to collect it. He afterwards requested that I follow him out on an operation. I asked him the nature of the business and he told me robbery and Okada snatching. I told him, I can’t do such business. Whenever he borrowed the gun and went out on operation, he came back home to give me some money.

“On three occasions, he had given me money after returning home in Ajah. First, he gave me N10,000. The second time, it was N10,000 and an Android phone. The third was N2,000 because the operation wasn’t so smooth.”

The gang leader, Ayetoba from who the gun was recovered, said: “I was initiated into robbery by Tunde. He was the leader of my previous gang. He was arrested sometime last year. I met Tunde in Mushin. Whatever we stole, we sell it in Mushin. It was Tunde who taught me all kinds of tricks I deployed during operation.

“The day he was arrested, I didn’t go out with him. I formed my gang with Taiwo and Kabiru. I took the gun from Ridwan and each time we went on an operation, I pay him for hiring the gun from him. I live in the same street and we belonged to the same confraternity. The areas we have operated were Ajah, Costain, Onipanu, Yaba and National Stadium. We sell Okada for between N60,000 to N30,000 depending on its condition.”

Police spokesman Chike Oti said the gang is cooperating with the police, adding that the commissioner, Imohimi Edgal, lauded community members in the arrest of the suspects.’