A court in Ondo state’s Akure ordered the detention of 16-year-old armed robbery suspect Sunday Ojo, who goes by the moniker “Oyenusi” in Nigeria.
Ojo said that he had participated in at least 40 missions.
He was prosecuted by members of the Ondo State Security Outfit, also known as “Amotekun,” for allegedly breaking into homes, stealing, and illegally possessing firearms.
A seven-count complaint against the defendant includes allegations of conspiracy, burglary, theft, and illegal possession of guns.
The defendant and other people still at large committed the crimes between April 2022 and August 2023 at various locations in Ilara-Mokin and Ijare, Ondo State, claims the State Counsel, O.F. Akeredolu.
According to Akeredolu, the defendant and his armed group were responsible for several home invasions and thefts in the two neighbourhoods.
“On August 17, 2023, Sunday at around 3pm, broke into and looted a shop at Ilara owned by one Esther Olaseni and stole one 3kg gas cooker, 11 spaghetti, a pack of magic detergent, packs of big toothpaste, 15 rubbers of rice, nine pieces of golden terra, two bottles of air cream and 145 cubes of chocolate,” the man claimed.
Additionally, on April 9, 2022, Sunday and other fugitives stormed into Mrs. Esho Olanireti’s store at Hospital Junction in Ilara-Mokin and stole all the contents.
“On April 10, 2022, the defendant and his group broke into a house at about 9am and stole an itel phone valued at N9,500, belonging to one Mrs. Grace Falaye, among others,” said Akeredolu.
Guns were allegedly in the defendant’s hands when he was arrested as well.
Sections 413, 383, 516, and 414 of the Criminal Laws of Ondo State, 2006, as well as Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004, were violated, according to the prosecution.
Despite having the accusations read to him in Yoruba, his plea was not accepted.
In order to await guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Akeredolu asked the court to send the defendant to the Olokuta Correctional Facility.
Therefore, the case was postponed until September 15 so that the trial magistrate Damilola Sekoni may rule on the remand motion.
Recall that Ojo and two other people with the same nicknames as infamous armed robbers were detained by the Ondo state security unit, codenamed Amotekun, three years ago.
They are Timileyin Femi, also known as Anini, age 13, and Matti Lowe, also known as Osunbo, age 16.
When detained by the state Amotekun last year, Sunday, who had been placed in a juvenile home, said that he had been a part of over 40 operations.
Sunday stated in an interview that he had lost track of the number of robbery activities he had been involved in after being re-arrested by the Amotekun corps and paraded in Akure, the state capital. However, they cannot be less than 40.
Therefore, the case was postponed until September 15 so that the trial magistrate Damilola Sekoni may rule on the remand motion.
He asserted that an evil spirit had overtaken him and is what drives him to steal.
Chief Adetunji Adeleye, the state commander of Amotekun, reported that Sunday was a suspect in an armed robbery twice.
Adeleye stated that the suspect, who had previously been detained for illegally possessing guns when he was 13 years old and transported to a juvenile detention facility, was detained once again for robbery and theft.
We’ve detained a young thief who stole throughout the state under the alias “Oyenusi,” a legendary armed robber from Nigeria.
“We re-arrested a young lad who we had detained three years prior and transferred to juvenile detention for robbery and illegal possession of a handgun.
Therefore, the case was postponed until September 15 so that the trial magistrate Damilola Sekoni may rule on the remand motion.
He asserted that an evil spirit had overtaken him and is what drives him to steal.
“He had just turned 13 years old. The best we could do was turn him over to a juvenile detention facility to see if he might be helped.
Adeleye stated that the offender, who is currently 16 years old, broke into many stores this time and stole goods. He said that he had committed approximately 40 acts of housebreaking between then and today.
