Herbalist, fisherman found with three AK47 rifles, magazines

A Badagry based herbalist, Mustapha Sunmola, 58, and his fisherman nephew Seth Akpot, 40, have been arrested by the police in Lagos for being in possession of three AK47 rifles, several magasines loaded with assorted live ammunition.

They were arrested on June 20, by operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) at Iworo/Ajido in Badagry.

According to the police, they got a tip off that the suspects were pirates and had hijacked several vessels carrying petroleum products in the high seas.

The police claimed they were being sponsored by a certain Alphonse, a wealthy businessman in Benin Republic, who allegedly bought the guns for them.

But the suspects denied being members of Alphonse’ gang, insisting that he only gave them the firearms to keep for him in exchange for cash gratification.

Sunmola who denied preparing charms for pirates and armed robbers, said his nephew brought the guns to his house in May for safekeeping.

The herbalist, who initially denied knowing the bag he was asked to keep contained guns, confessed when his nephew answered otherwise.

Sunmola said: “We are from Badagry. Akpot is my sister’s son. He was the one who brought the gun. He told me it is what they used to work in the ship. He told me to keep it that his friends and himself would come back for it.

“The gun was in my house for three weeks before police arrested me. He was the one who brought police to my shrine. I did not collect any money to keep the guns and I am not a member of any gang. I am a herbalist. I inherited my job from my grandfather. I do not do charms for criminals. I only prepare herbs for people looking for babies and those battling ailment.”

Akpot, who said he took delivery of the guns from Alphonse at brick water, said that the alleged illegal oil bunkerer and pirate promised to give him an undisclosed amount of money to keep them.

He claimed he knew the said Alphonse last year, adding that he usually supplied fish to him.
Akpot said: “I knew him through Baba Beji. Baba Beji was my friend and customer. He usually bought fish from me. But when he relocated, he introduced me to Alphonse and I used to supply fish to him.

“He bought fish between N25, 000 and N40, 000 at least three times a month from me. He is a rich man in Benin Republic. I know he’s into oil bunkering and he used to send Cotonou boats to Lagos anchorage to load products in jerry cans.

“The day he gave me the guns, he told me to meet him in the water. He was in his speedboat and I was in my own wooden boat. He told me there were guns and that I should keep them well for him. He said he was going to give me big money bit did not tell me the amount.

“He said he wanted to help me because I am a good person. So, I took the guns to my mother’s brother, a herbalist because I didn’t know where to keep them. I am not a pirate. I am not a member of the gang.”