Men of the Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Command, have have dismantled a car theft syndicate known for stealing vehicles from Abuja and then selling them in Lagos.
This was disclosed by the FCT Police Commissioner, Benneth Igweh. He said luck ran out for the gang when a victim whose car was stolen in Abuja travelled to Lagos for an engagement only to see the stolen car of his friend at a car stand, put up for sale.
He subsequently alerted the victim to come to Lagos and check the car. On getting to Lagos, he confirmed the car to be his stolen Toyota Camry and informed the FCT Police.
CP Igweh said Police detectives deployed to the scene, discovered that the original Chasis of the stolen car had been changed, the car was recovered and criminals arrested.
He said, “On 1st May, 2024, at about 3pm, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives of Apo Legislative Quarters, trailed and arrested two notorious car theft suspects namely, Anthony Chibuzor and his friend Jonas Chikwe both males of Lagos state who have been on the wanted list of the command.
“They are part of a notorious car theft syndicate terrorising FCT and its environs.
“Three vehicles to which the suspects gave no satisfactory account were recovered including a Toyota Camry with Reg No. Lagos 23, an Audi A4 with Reg No. KRD 349 JD and a Honda Accord Sports with Reg No. BDG 42 JC, some of which the Chassis No. had been altered by the suspects.”
Regarding arrest of one chance robbers, Igweh said, “On 7TH April, 2024, at about 10.30pm, Police operatives from Maitama Division, while on routine Patrol along Nicon Junction, heard a loud cry and swiftly mobilised to the location, where a victim of an armed robbery (one chance) incident, pushed out of a vehicle was found and dispossessed of all her belongings.
“In response to this, the police operatives gave the hoodlums a hot chase forcing them to abandon their vehicle and took to their heels.
“Information recovered from the vehicle led police operatives to the arrest of four suspects, namely Hamza Ibrahim, Mubarak Abubakar, Abubakar Suleiman and Mohammed Lawal
The suspects who freely confessed to the commission of the crime will be charged to court soon.
“On 12th May, 2024, at about 11:26pm, following the report of one Mohammed Musa of Durumi that on the same date, one Kabiru Umar of the same address, broke into his Point of Sale (POS) shop and stole the sum of three hundred thousand Naira (N300, 000)
“Police operatives of Durumi Division swiftly mobilised to the scene and arrested the suspect.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and the sum of one hundred and seventy thousand naira (N170, 000) was recovered from him. Suspect will be arraigned in court soon.
“On 15th April, 2024, at about 9:45am, following a report by one Magaji Umar at Lugbe Division that on 14th April, 2024, he boarded a vehicle from Lugbe going to Area 1 when he was suddenly attacked by the two occupants in the moving vehicle and was forcefully made to path with the sum of Two million, two hundred and thirty thousand naira removed from his account.
“Subsequent investigation led police operatives to the arrest of six suspects namely Peter Fateh, Esther Peter, James Ogbuh, Kabiru Buba and Kabir Abubakar
Exhibits were recovered from the suspects include the sum of two million, two hundred and thirty thousand naira.
Others include a black coloured Toyota Corrola with Reg No. GWA 227 BG, a Golf 3 Salon car with Reg No. KWL 200 CF, a silver coloured Toyota Camry without Reg No.
Also recovered from the gang were two locally made cartridge rifles, one locally made pistol, one locally made rifle, ten live Cartridges and six live ammunition
The CP reassured residents that the FCT Police Command, under his leadership, will do all within its power to prevent crime and criminality in all of its forms and ensure the safety of all without fear or favour even as he solicited continued cooperation for the police.
