By Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, April 15.26
LAGOS – A VILE gang who posed as stranded commuters to lure a kind-hearted driver into a trap before robbing him at gunpoint have been slapped with 14-year prison sentences.
The four thugs—including a security guard and a man nicknamed “DPO”—terrorised victim Sadiq Abiodun Ezekiel after he stopped to help them near Oshodi Bridge in Lagos.
The court heard how the gang piled into Mr. Ezekiel’s blue 2005 Toyota Sienna under the guise of being stuck in the middle of the night. But the moment the doors shut, the “stranded” passengers turned into monsters.
Brandishing a double-barreled pistol, the group:
Dragged the victim into the back seat.
Brutally beat him while demanding his valuables.
Robbed him of his iPhones, Android devices, and cash. The heartless crooks eventually dumped the battered driver at a bus stop before speeding off in his car.
In a twist of fate, the gang’s getaway didn’t last long. The vehicle was recovered later that same day at the Ikeja Shopping Mall.
When the victim went to inspect his returned car, he made a chilling discovery: the thugs had left their loaded weapon and four cartridges inside the vehicle. He immediately handed the evidence over to the police, sealing the gang’s fate.
The “Mogaji” gang, who finally admitted their guilt this week, consists of:
Ojomo Taiwo (34): A professional driver.
Ojomo Kehinde (34): A security guard.
Emmanuel Bamidele (34): Known as “DPO.”
Peter Samuel (27): A cobbler known as “Mogaji.”
The quartet originally tried to play the system by pleading “not guilty” back in 2020. However, faced with overwhelming evidence, they signed a plea bargain to reduce their sentence from a potential 21 years down to 14.
Presiding Judge, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, made it clear she was taking no nonsense in the Special Offences Court. While she accepted the 14-year term, she reminded the court that she wasn’t bound by their “deal” and could have been even tougher.
The thugs will now trade their “DPO” and “Mogaji” street names for prison numbers as they begin their decade-plus stint behind bars.
