Juliana Francis
A 52-year-old Mr Sani Garuba, who was
arrested for robbery, has boasted to operatives of the Inspector-General of
Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), that he kept returning to
crime because his expertise in moving stolen vehicles across borders was renowned.
Garuba, who is from Niger Republic, has
four wives and 23 children. He was arrested along with his partner in crime, Mr
Abubakar Umaru, 37.
According to Garuba, he had once been
arrested for assisting criminals to move stolen vehicles from Nigeria to Niger
Republic. He explained that after that arrest, he had made up his mind never to
return to crime. He returned to his country, but someone suddenly called him,
asking for his expert services. He couldn’t turn down the offer. Although he’s
a smuggler, he told the world that he was a trader, dealing in clothes. Incidentally,
Garuba truly sell clothes.
He said: “I’m a businessman. I sell
clothes. I was formerly residing in
Sokoto State, but I was arrested four years ago by policemen from the Federal
Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Adeniji Adele, Lagos State. The Policemen recovered
three Honda Civic cars and a Toyota car (First Lady) from me. After I was released,
I promised the Police that I would leave Nigeria and never come back. But while
I was in Niger Republic, I met Alhaji Dauda, who needed my expertise in crossing
robbed cars from Nigeria. He called me that he needed my expertise and I came.”
Garuba, who confessed that the cars were
snatched by robbers, stated that he was often contracted by Dauda and one Yamai
to move the vehicles. He claimed that he and Umaru had so far moved six
vehicles to other states, but Police investigators believed that he was being
economical with the truth. They theorised that he had moved more than six cars.
The suspect, who said that he was not
educated, explained: “The vehicle that got me into trouble was brought to me by
my friend, Umaru. He is the person that has a direct link to the robbers. It
was a Toyota Corolla Sports car. It was snatched at Abuja and handed over to
Umaru, who brought it to me in Kebbi State, through Kenijida border. I drove
the car to Dauda, who after receiving it, paid me N50, 000.”
Asked
how he had consistently evaded the eagle eyes of security agents at borders,
Garuba said: “I avoid driving through the border axis in order to avoid law
enforcement agents’ check points. The truth is that whenever I get a contract
to move cars to another country, I go through the bushes or forest. The car I ferried
to Niger Republic six months ago was through similar route. I got another vehicle,
Toyota Corrola from Jaga area of Kebbi State and delivered it. The person that
brought the car to me had been communicating with Dauda. When he gave it to me,
I took it through the bushes.”
Garuba disclosed that the gang usually
targets Toyota products because there was high demand for them.
He added: “Whenever we get the cars
successfully into Niger Republic, we registered them. The moment that is done,
the vehicle will never be returned to Nigeria.”
The second suspect, Umaru, married with
a child, is actually a graduate. He graduated from the Federal Polytechnic
Bauchi State, where he studied Business Administration. He graduated in 2010.
He described himself as a businessman, dealing in Oil and Gas.
He said: “I sell Oil and Gas in small
quantities in Port Harcourt. I went into
car snatching after one of my friends, Kabiru, linked me to Dauda. I was told
that Dauda sold clothes. Sometimes last year, I needed some clothes for a wedding,
I called Dauda and I begged him to help me with some clothes. He then pleaded with
me to assist him inspect a car one of his boys brought from Lagos. He gave me the man’s phone number. I called
the man, who told me where to meet him. When I got to the venue, I discovered
that the tyres of the car were bad. I called and told Dauda, he then sent me
money to get new tyres for the car. He further asked me to assist him to move
the car, which is a Toyota Camry, to Sokota State.”
Umaru said that he complied with Dauda’s
directives and was later paid N50,000. After that first deal, Dauda also asked
him to move another car from Abuja to Sokoto. The business was going smoothly
until a policeman, posing as one of the robbers that used to snatch the cars, infiltrated
the gang.
Umaru said: “Dauda sent me a phone
number, that I should go to Kaduna State, to receive a car for of his men. When
I got there, the supposed thief, who I was supposed to receive the car from on
behalf of Dauda turned out to be a policeman. I was arrested. I cooperated with
the Police and they arrested Umaru. Since my arrest, I have been seriously
embarrassed. I was preparing to marry a second
wife when I got into this trouble. Everyone now sees me as a robber. The news
is everywhere. I’m sure that the woman, who I was planning to marry, will no
longer want to marry me.”
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