I Have A Calling To Serve God, Hunger Pushed Me Into Robbery ––Ambrose Cries Out Emmanuel Ambrose is 20 years old. But he seems to have lost his calling. How? He is a self confessed first time armed robber in Lagos. But his first calling, according to him, is winning souls for Christ. Speaking with Saturday Mirror on his involvement in the crime, Ambrose, who claimed the outing that led to his arrest was his first experience, said he only went out with the gang because he needed money to feed himself: “It was true that we went to rob that day, but that was my first time out. They caught the car with us at Ojota. Let me tell you that it was temptation that pushed me into robbery, as I was not known to have robbed before now. I only agreed to follow them because I needed some money to eat.” This is my question: how does our government expect young men without jobs to feed? Is it possible for any one to go on for several weeks and months without food because he doesnt have a job? Why not create some kind of social security scheme for the millions of youths who are jobless and on the streets... According to Ambrose, if he had his way, he would love to preach the word and win souls for the Kingdom of God. Ambrose, a 20-year-old secondary school dropout, claimed that his dream right from his childhood days was to be a Pastor. But, if found guilty of his current offence, Ambrose’s dreams might have to wait a little longer while he served his term behind bars. Ambrose and his partners in crime, however, chose a symbolic day and time to carry out their crime: March 5, 2014, (being the first day of Lenten period) the Ash Wednesday. Thus in the wee hours of the day, the gang invaded some estates in Egbeda, Lagos. It was that time of day that some Christians, especially Catholic faithful were rushing for the Ash Wednesday Mass quite before going for their different businesses. While these residents were rushing to their churches and offices, the robbers reportedly invaded the community, moving from one house to another. While the robbery lasted, many residents had to part with their valuables including jewellery, telephone handsets, large amount of money, laptop computers and many other things. One of the victims of the robber was a don, Professor Benjamin Nwaneri, a resident of the estate. But while other victims of the attack were only made to part with their personal effects, the university teacher suffered more than his co-residents. While rounding off their operation, the robbers noticed Nwaneri advancing towards them in his Toyota Camry car. The armed robbers upon noticing the advancing car held it up at gun point. Within minutes, he was disposed of the car while the robbers immediately loaded their loot into it and sped off. At that moment, some men of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji-Adele, Lagos who were on patrol around Ojota area of the state noticed the stolen car advancing towards them. It was reported that the anti robbery policemen engaged the suspected armed robbers in gun duel until they abandoned the vehicle and their loot. Three of them reportedly escaped the attack while Ambrose was not so lucky. He was immediately picked up while a manhunt was launched for his fleeing partners-in-crime. The search for Ambrose’s partners was not delayed as one of the gang, later identified as Audu Akeem, was noticed trying to escape with a motorcycle. With a threat to have him shot dead should he attempt to run away, Akeem was also arrested and both of them whisked to the offices of the anti-robbery squad. Investigations revealed that Akeem, who lives close to the area where the gang carried out their operation, was the mole that sold his community to the robbers, being a member of the gang himself. Speaking on his pastoral ambition, Ambrose continued amid tears: “If I am given the opportunity, I want the police to release me to go back to my normal life where I can preach the Word of God to people particularly robbers to accept Christ. My dream in life was to be a Pastor and preach the Word. So If I could be pardoned and allowed to choose my life again, I will live a good and righteous life and win souls for God. I want to go back and start a church”.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 07:40:53 +0000
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