Olaleye Aluko
Armed robbers on Tuesday invaded the apartment of popular comedian, Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, in the Lekki area of Lagos State, carting away valuables.
Our correspondent learnt that the gun-wielding robbers stormed Basketmouth’s apartment in the Lekki Phase 1 area around 2am, and held the comedian and his family members hostage for about two hours.
This is just as some gunmen attacked residents of Ogudu in the Ojota area, during which there was an exchange of gunfire and one robbery suspect was shot dead.
The gunfire exchange, which occurred around 12pm, was between the police and the fleeing robbers.
PUNCH Metro learnt that in the robbery in Basketmouth’sapartment, the robbers made away with valuables of the comedian, including the Closed-Circuit Television Cameras installed in the apartment.
A fellow comedian and Basketmouth’s friend, Bovi Ugboma, said on his Instagram page that although the robbers carted away property during the two-hour attack, no one was hurt.
He said, “Basketmouth was robbed this morning in his home in the Lekki Phase 1 area between 2am and 4am. He and his family members were held at gunpoint, while the sad episode lasted. Nobody was hurt. Valuables were taken away, including the CCTV device. A report has been made at a police station. He can’t be reached at the moment, but he will be back as soon as possible. While this is sad news, we are extremely thankful for their safety.”
A source in the area said the robbers were suspected to be people who knew Basketmouth’s family members and their schedules.
“For the robbers to have carted away the CCTV, it signified that they knew the building very well. Thank God that no one was hurt,” he added.
Our correspondent learnt that the robbery was reported at the Maroko Police Division.
In the Ogudu area, Ojota, on Tuesday, some robbers attacked houses and exchange fire with policemen.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The robbers came at about 12pm. They attacked some houses. The police were alerted. There was a gun battle between them and the armed robbers. One of the robbers was shot dead during the exchange.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the attack on Basketmouth’sapartment.
She said, “The command received the report that some suspected robbers broke into the comedian’s house and carted away some valuables. The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has directed that the case be transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, for further investigation.”
She had yet to reply to a text message sent to her phone on the Ogudu robbery incident.
Source: PUNCH
