Thieves pose as top management staff to sell stolen truck

Juliana Francis

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have burst a gang which posed as top management staff of a company located in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, in order to sell the company’s truck valued over N20million.

Three suspects, presently in the custody of IRT are Abdulraman Saidu, 25, Nathan Mathew, 43 and Zulkifil Abdullahi Muhammad, 30.

The suspects were alleged to have stolen the truck at the company in Lagos and were about to sell it in Abuja, when IRT Operatives burst them.

One of the suspects, Saidu, explained that the idea to steal the truck was hatched by Muhammad, while Muhammad insisted that the brain behind the theft was Abdul, still at large. They were all working in the company, which owned the truck.

Saidu said: “I work in a company at Lekki. It was at that company I saw Muhammad. We knew each other at Adamawa State. We even knew each other’s parents. I was surprised to see him and we were both happy to see each other. After a while, I went to Mubi, Adamawa State for a break. I was on break when Muhammad called me that I should quickly return to Lagos, he said that there was a business, which he wanted us to execute. When I asked him the type of business, he said that someone in the company gave him a truck to sell. He said that he wanted me to get a buyer, so that I could get something out of the deal. I decided to contact Danjuma Mohammed. I knew Danjuma in Abuja. I knew him as someone, who used to receive stolen items, which was why I contacted him; he agreed to buy it for N10million.”

Saidu explained that immediately he told Muhammad that he had found a buyer, the latter left Lagos and made a beeline for Abuja with the truck. He further noted that Muhammad was already in Abuja and was about sealing the deal when IRT Operatives appeared from nowhere and spoilt the tea party.

Saidu said: “I was arrested in Mubi, Adamawa State. The truth of the matter is that I knew the truck was a stolen one and yes, I was the person that got a buyer. I got to know Danjuma when operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrested us some years ago and we were detained in the same cell.”

Nathan, who said that he graduated from Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi State, added that he is married and has three children.

He further explained that on February 14, his friend, Muhammad called him on phone and asked him if he had anyone interested in buying a truck. Muhammad claimed that the truck was given to him by a friend, Abdul, to sell.

“I told him that I didn’t have a buyer, but on February 15th, Muhammad still called that I should come and escort him to Abuja, to sell the truck. He said that he had found a buyer in Abuja and needed to go and deliver the truck to the buyer. He promised to give me out of the money after the buyer must have paid. It was at that point that I agreed to follow him to Abuja to sell the truck. Yes, I knew the truck was a stolen one, but it was based on Muhammad’s promise to give me part of the money that made me decided to follow him to sell the truck,” said Nathan.

Nathan further explained that he and Muhammad used to be friends until they lost contact. They would later run into each other in Ibeju-Lekki area. He claimed to have run into Muhammad on February 14.

Nathan recounted: “I met Muhammad in the company of Abdul at Ibeju-Lekki, with three other guys. He introduced the guys as his colleagues working with him in the refinery. He told me that they had a business on ground. He also told me that the guys were part of the top management staff of the company. I don’t know the name of the company, but they showed me documents of the truck. Muhammad said that I should not worry, that he had arranged a buyer in Abuja. He gave me the buyer’s phone number and I started calling him about the deal from Lagos. They then left for Abuja and we lost contact.”

Muhammad, who introduced himself as a former businessman and motor boy, said that he also attended a computer institution in Mubi. He moved to Lagos in 2011 to live with his brother, who was a truck driver. He became an apprentice truck driver and motor boy. In 2015, he graduated apprentice to become a truck driver.

He had an accident with the first truck he drove and then went to Ibeju-Lekki, where he started working as one of the truck drivers with Dangote Company. He said that he got to know Abdul when he was a motor boy. He further mentioned that he and Abdul had worked in the same company before.

Muhammad added: “I was the person that called Nathan into the business. Abdul promised to give Nathan and I N1million after we’ve sold the truck. Yes, I knew it was a stolen truck.”