He confessed to the police that he dutifully paid his tithe to his church, Christ Living Ministry, Lagos Island, as commanded by the Bible after every successful robbery operation in Lagos, western Nigeria.
Onifara was arrested in a hotel with his girlfriend by men of the anti-robbery squad of the state police command after nine years of robbing people.
The father of two said he paid his tithe regularly because he believed that as a Christian God always bless a faithful tither. He disclosed that after every successful operation, he would remove 10 percent of the money he stole from people and pay as tithe to church.
He said he started stealing at the age of 15 and specialised in robbing customers of banks with locally made cut-to-size pistol before he graduated to a big time armed robber.
He said his major breakthrough in the underworld occurred when he robbed a woman who withdrew N2m from a bank in Lagos.
On what he did with all the money he stole over the years, he explained that he used the money to enrol his children in one of the best schools in Lagos and opened a supermarket at Idumagbo on Lagos Island. He added that he used a substantial part of the money to take care of himself and his girlfriends.
When asked how he felt now that he was arrested, he replied: "I know that robbery is a serious and risky 'business' that can cut short one's life. If I am given another chance, I will abandon it and engage in a legitimate business."
Police sources said Onifara who is now in custody at SARS will soon be charged to court.
