Robbers attack and strangle man to death in Lagos

A five man robbery gang identified as Anthony Toms (20), Godwin Francis (25), Michael Inyang (21), Evidence David (22), Etuk Tony (23) have been arrested by the Lagos state police command for strangling a 32 year old cab driver, Sonye Chukwudi, aka Zack Friday, as they robbed him at the Ransome Kuti Gardens, Anthony Village on Sunday June 28th. The robbers believed their victim was a rich man who had plenty money.

According to Punch, the robbers, acting on information from one of them, Tom, invited Zack Friday, who uses a Mercedes Benz E320 saloon car for his car hire service, to the Ransome Kuti Garden to carry some flowers to a customer living at Ojodu Berger area of the state. The victim drove to the place, parked his car, met with Tom and as he was helping to carry flowers into the booth, the other robbers came out from their hiding place, hit the victim on his head before using a cloth to strangle him to death. They ransacked his car and found only N4, 750. 

 They were about escaping with the saloon car when a team of police arrested them following a tipoff

A police source said "'Soon after, they called their hired driver to pick them because none of them could drive. As soon as the driver got to the place, the police surrounded the suspects,”.

Two of the suspects sustained gunshot injuries when they attempted to run.

The prime suspect, Tom when interrogated said 'I am a gardener. I work in that garden at Anthony. I met the man about two years ago. That day, I just wanted to collect the money and steal his car, which we estimated at about N2m. He struggled with us and died in the process.”.

The victim lives alone in Egbeda area in Lagos while his wife and children live in Imo state where he comes from. The robbers are indigenes of Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Anambra states.

The robbers have been charged to court.