For two robbery suspects, Ahmed Usman and Thomson Victor, the search for protection and business patronage, according to them, pushed them to seek the help of a native doctor, identified simply as Saheed.

They said Saheed not only made charms for them that no human being can hurt them as long as they use the charm.

They alleged that Saheed later introduced them to robbery and as a result of the confidence they had in the efficacy of the charms, they consented.

Unfortunately for them, the charms failed them as they were apprehended by police operatives from the Kwara State command.

Usman, 19, who claimed to be an senior secondary year two student of a private secondary school in Ogbomosho, tearfully promised not to engage in robbery again if the police could free him.

“This is the first time I have ever engaged in robbery. We were three but the other one, the native doctor, has been released.

“I regret my action. People should not get involved in robbery. Stealing is not good,” Usman said.

Victor who also is an artisan also collaborated Usman’s story that a native doctor lured them into robbery.

“A native doctor lured us into armed robbery. I regret my action. This is my first time. I will never do this again.”

The suspect also had words of advice for Nigerians – to always believer in themselves and not trust people.

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Saliu Garba said the police arrested Victor and Usman and seven other suspects in an operation that showed the command’s determinatioin to fight crime in the state.

He stated that Usman and Victor were arrested following a complaint from the Manager of Delight Murkars Petrol Station, Ajase-Ipo, Offa that robbers invaded their filling station and robbed them of one Plasma LG television, an LG DVD, HD DSTV decoder; a wrist watch and a clipper. He added that the night guard at the station was also injured.

According to him the command also arrested Rufai Ibrahim and Hamza Suleiman for theft while another suspect, Issak Sulieman, was arrested for criminal conspiracy and illegal possessionof fire arms. Suleiman was said to be a member of a secret cult.

He added that the police recovered from Suleiman, one USA made pistol without magazine, 13 rounds of live ammunition, two pieces of foreign currency, one Blackberry mobile phone and fetish charms.

Garba said the police also arrested another suspect, Umaru Amadu, on January 10 on suspicion that he is a member of an armed robbery gang that had been terrorising people along the Airport Road, Ilorin.

The commissioner said the police recovered from the suspect, one Nokia 2700 handset, a machete and a dagger.

“When the number on the phone recovered from was dialled, one Mrs. Comfort Ajala of Eiyenkorin responded that she was robbed of her handset prior to the arrest of the suspect and later surfaced and identified the suspect as one of the robbers that robbed her of the phone and and N26,500 cash at gun point. The suspect has confessed to the crime,” Garba said.

In a wave of arrests by police in the state, three armed robbery suspect were nabbed. Abdullahi Gani was arrested on January 12; Abu Yahaya on January 13 and Yinusa Ayanda on January 17.

The commissioner said, “On January 17, at about 4pm, one Wahab Rahimi of Ile-Ledu Oloje area of Ilorin reported thatat about 3.30am that day, he left home with a Hummer bus with Registration No. LRN 19 ZA.

“On reaching Ile Alawo Hospital, Okelele area of Ilorin, Yunusa Ayanda and Waheed Akaje of Ile Ogun Okelele area of Ilorin flagged him down pretending to be members of a vigilante. The bus was snatched at gun point but was later recovered through police investigation while the suspects were arrested.

Garba said the command would have charged the suspects to court but regretted that the current strike embarked upon by judicial workers had impeded the prosecution of the suspects.

He said as a result of strike and to avoid congestion of the police cells, the police have been forced to release suspects to reasonable sureties so that by the time the court resumed, the suspects would be produced for prosecution.

He cited the legal time limit that the police was permitted to detain suspect, adding that keeping them for longer time without arraignment would be infringing on their human rights.

He pleaded with the public especially complainants to show understanding with the police on the current limitation of prosecuting suspects because of the court workers strike.

“The strike of the judicial workers is giving us a lot of problem and has become a source of serious concern. We are determine to fight crime, arrest and even prosecute suspects as to deter others but the court strike is not helping matters, we are constrained.

“The police cells are meant for temporary detention. The law of the land specified the limit of the time we can keep suspects in our custody. Any time more than that will be infringing on the human right of the suspect. We pray that the judiciary will resume soon so that we can prosecute the suspects in court.”