Segun Atanda/
Dreams of four men who wanted to make money through car theft and diversion of goods have ended at the Force Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, in Lagos.
According to the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of FCIID, Alagbon, AIG Usman Alhassan Belel, cases of diversion of specialty foods and car theft are a growing concern and the police have been up to the task of nipping the crimes in the bud.
NewsmakersNG got the scoop on the suspect who stole his boss’ Hilux Van and wanted to sell it for N4 million because he was looking for money to travel out of Nigeria.
There was another case of a transporter who diverted a consignment of Soya beans to Mile 12 market in Lagos when he was paid to take it to the Apapa area of the state.
The crimes were busted by detectives from FCIID’s Special Enquiry Bureau led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Oketunji Lawrence, who took pains and patience as they spent days trailing and infiltrating the suspects’ network.
“I really wanted to travel and needed money badly,” Olusola Agunbole, a driver with Craneburg Construction Company in Ibadan, who was arrested for the alleged theft of his boss’ car, told NewsmakersNG.
The 41-year-old driver, a father of four, who hails from Isanlu in Kogi State said that he zoomed off with the Hilux Truck after he took it out pretending that he wanted to go and wash it. He had been driving his boss for almost a year.
“We acted on the information, and he was arrested at Abule Panu along Lekki-Epe Road where he was trying to sell the truck, alongside 2 others,” detectives who posed as buyers told NewsmakersNG.
“We posed as buyers, and we were negotiating with them. When they said they had no money on them, we sent N50,000 to show our seriousness.
Agunbole told NewsmakersNG, “We wanted to sell my company vehicle. I discussed with a friend, John, about traveling abroad. He was the one that promised to help me find a buyer.
“He called me and said he had found a buyer, that was why we brought the vehicle down to Lagos.”
Officers told NewsmakersNG that the gang was out to sell the car for N4million and that Agunbole’s friend connected him with the other suspects.
“I became friends with John who was transferred from another branch of Craneburg Construction Company to my branch in Ibadan. I live at Life Camp, Ibadan. John was transferred from Ogbomoso,” Agunbole said.
Agunbole and John were connected to a 56-year-old driver, Benjamin Ifada, who said that he understudied car dealers and started selling cars after his vehicle got burnt and he was out of a job.
Ifada said, “I sell cars. I was a driver before. My vehicle got burnt at Owo, Ondo State three years ago. Then, I joined car dealers at Awoyaya.
“Okorie called me and said he had a vehicle. I said where did you know me. He said somebody gave him my number. I said that they should bring the vehicle. They brought it at night. I said that they should wait until the following day when I had to contact my man. I didn’t know it was stolen until I asked them for the papers. Then, I said this vehicle is not Toyota, and the number is different.
“The number and the make are different on the paper. When I started asking questions, he then confessed to me, that even right now N1million is placed on his head. That anybody who sees him should arrest him. The man I contacted to buy in Abuja, I had worked for him before, and he said that he wanted to buy because of my age.
“He kept me till nighttime then came with the police. The man that brought me here is a big man, always with policemen around him. I didn’t know earlier on that it was a stolen vehicle.
“I have people that are in the police, I will not do this and bring shame to them. My half-brother is a DPO in Edo State. A lot of ignorance played out here.
“I’m married with 5 children; one just died. He had a kidney problem. I live at Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya.
Thirty-eight-year-old Okorie Jideofor who was mentioned by Ifada also told NewsmakersNG the role he played in the attempts to sell the car.
Jideofor, who hails from Enugu State, said, “On a fateful day last week, I got a call from Solo that there’s a Hilux for sale. I asked if it was genuine. I asked if it has papers. He said yes. I said since I don’t know much about it, let me contact people to see if I can get someone, so I started contacting people. No one seems to have a buyer.
“I work at Dangote Refinery. Someone sent me the number of the man called Benjamin who is into cars. He doesn’t buy; he looks for buyers. He asked whether it was genuine. I said it was genuine. I said that they should bring the Hilux down to Lagos. They brought it. Benjamin came and checked the papers. He then asked for the original. I said it was with the company, that the originals would be available when they finally get a buyer.
Benjamin then called a buyer. Along the line, as things were going, I was left behind in the business talks. Benjamin stopped calling me. He was only communicating with the driver.
“On the day they were bringing a buyer, they called me that they were bringing somebody. They said I should stay somewhere, that if Matthew wants to play smart then I would come out.
“When the buyers came, I entered the car. Thereafter, I found myself here. It was after 12. But, when the driver called me around 10-11’o clock, I asked if it wasn’t too late. I said we should leave it till the next day, that the man should lodge in a hotel. So, when Benjamin was insisting that they must do it because the business has taken too long. I said okay. Since I was not the owner of the vehicle, once they sell, I’ll get my cut too. I came out and followed them.”
The police said the suspects would be charged to court when investigations are completed.
The police suspect arrested in connection with the diversion of Soya beans was identified as 35-year-old Michael Ndubuisi, who hails from Ebonyi State.
He told NewsmakersNG that the owner of the truck directed him to carry the Soya beans consignment to Mile 12 instead of Apapa.
“From there the police started looking for the Soya beans, and from there they got me,” he said.
Ndubuisi was arrested in the Ibafo area of Ogun State. The police are still on the trail of his master.
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