Fleeing Car Thief Arrested in Kogi

Paul Iyoghojie

A suspected car thief, Matthias Isha, 28 who allegedly stole a Toyota Camry car with registration number SMK-318DD valued at N1.8m from a car hire driver at Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos has been arrested in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria where he had displayed the car for sale.

The suspect, a resident of 45 Abukuru Street, Apapa, Lagos, was tracked and arrested by the police from Ikoyi division, Ikoyi, Lagos in collaboration with their Kogi State counterparts.

The Police alleged that the incident occurred on 17 December, 2016 when the suspect hired the complainant, Godwin Solomon, a car hire operator, to help him convey some cooking gas from Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos to his customers.

And on getting to the scene, the suspect allegedly deceived the driver to allow him drive the car inside the compound to load the gas into the car to avoid embarrassment from the security guards on duty.

The suspect, it was learnt, drove the car inside the compound and escaped through another entrance and drove the car straight to his village in Ajamba in Dekina local government area of Kogi state to display it for sale.

After waiting for several hours without seeing the suspect and his car, the complainant reported the matter to the DPO in charge of Ikoyi division, Lagos, SP Tijani Mustapha.

Following the report, Mustapha directed a team led by Sergeant Tope Ijatuyi to track and arrest the suspect with the car. The police tracked the suspect to Kogi state where he was arrested with the car and brought back to Lagos.

During investigation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and said that he stole the car to sell to raise money to secure a new accommodation because his present apartment was not comfortable for him.

The suspect was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on a four-count charge of stealing, offences the police prosecutor, Sergeant Edward Abiodun said is punishable under section 409, 285 and 326 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the police allegation in the open court and the magistrate, Mrs. O. Kushanu admitted him on bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Kushanu adjourned the case till 1 March, 2017 for mention while the defendant was taken to Ikoyi prison, Lagos pending when he will fulfill his bail condition.