I Have A Calling To Win Souls For God –Armed robber Emmanuel Ambrose is 20 years old. But he seems to have lost his calling. How? He is a self confessed armed robber. But his first calling, according to him, is winning souls for Christ. …I did not rob intentionally – Another If a suspected notorious armed robber had his way, he would love to preach the word and win souls for the Kingdom of God. That is the wish of Emmanuel Ambrose, a member of a notorious gang of robber, now in police net as he shared his thoughts with Saturday Mirror recently when he was being paraded together with another member of the gang with their loot. 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 area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. 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 attack 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 only, 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 with registration number LAGOS EKY 621 BH. The suspected 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. The ex-student of St. Anthony Secondary School in Delta State 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 later revealed that Akeem, who lives close to the community 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 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 to eke a living. “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.” 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”. In his own confession, Akeem also admitted to being a member of the gang but blamed his foray into robbery on lack of job with which he would do to sustain his life adding, “It is the work of the devil. It was not in my mind to rob; it was not intentionally done.” Speaking on the arrest of the robbers, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS Annex, Chris Ezike, commended the men of the unit for their deftness in crime fighting, while urging Nigerians to always provide useful information on criminals to law enforcement agents for prompt action. The police boss said manhunt has been launched for the fleeing members of the gang while the two would be prosecuted upon completion of investigations. National Mirror.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 11:17:44 +0000
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