We Prayed Before Every Robbery - Arrested Suspects

Suspected robbers arrested by Lagos police upon interrogation narrated how they carried our operations saying they prayed to God before each.

According to a member of the 4-man gang, the prayer was to ensure that during the robbery only sinners would be dealt with and innocent – spared, Punch reports.
Mutalubi Abdullahi, Ismaila Moruf, Opeyemi Akinyemi and Sarah Emmanuel were nabbed for robbing residents in the Mile 2 area of Lagos State.

4 suspected robbers by Lagos police. Credits: Olaleye Aluko

Armed with guns, suspects operated using commercial motorcycles, okada. They were attacking pedestrians and motorists early morning and during traffic jams.  The suspects justified the crime by the fact that only bad people were attacked, as Abdullahi told the police:
“That is why we usually prayed to God before embarking on any operation. The prayer was for God to protect us and to bring only sinners our way so that those who were innocent would be spared.”

The man also begged the policemen to take into consideration his short “experience” in robbing:
“I was formerly working as a panel beater in Oyingbo, Lagos State. I started robbing just last year. I have gone on robbery operations about 10 times.”
He also said that the 3 guns in their possession were meant only to scare people, not shoot.
Another gang member, 30-year-old Akinyemi confessed that he had made about N25,000 from each operation explaining why he had gone into robbery.

“I was an okada rider, but when I had an accident with the okada, I stopped the business. I made about N25,000 each from about four operations I went with the gang. Our style was to attack people during traffic jams. My wife did not know I was a member of a robbery gang. It is true that we prayed before our operations, asking for protection as we went out.”

The only woman in the gang Emmanuel, aged 31, allegedly provided guns for the other members and said her friend Modinat told her to do so. According to Emmanuel she did not participate in any operation however.

“I was working as a hairdresser. It was one of my friends, Modinat, who called me and said the gang needed a gun. Modinat was a girlfriend to one of them. She then asked me to come with her and I did. We got the two guns for N25,000 at Idi Iroko from some mechanics. That was in February. I know I am guilty.”

The investigation into the case in reportedly in progress.
In your opinion, is it in any way possible to link God and prayers with such a crime?