A wheel barrow pusher suspected to have vandalised a truck and two buyers of alleged to be stolen items were on Friday arrested by the operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), around Toyota Bus Stop, Oshodi, Lagos.
The suspect, Sunday Ogbonna, 27, was arrested at dawn in Toyota Bus Stop while coming from Ilasa. Recovered from his wheel barrow were a radiator, two heavy duty batteries and four jerry cans filled with diesel.
Ogbonna in his confessional statement noted that the truck radiator, two batteries and four diesel filled jerry cans were handed over to him in Ilasa, Lagos, by two young men at around 4:00 a.m. on Friday.
He added that he was close to Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Oshodi, when the police stopped him. “I looked back and I didn’t see any of the guys that had engaged me to carry the items”, the suspect said.
“Although, this wasn’t the first time, I would be helping them to carry materials like that to Ladipo. It was the fourth. I charged them N2,500 for these particular materials. At another time, I had collected N1,800 for such things.”
He continued: “once I get to Ladipo, they would tell me to wait while they sold off those materials and pay me. The materials I helped them carry before this were 8 jerry cans filled with diesel and batteries. They were sold off in Ladipo.
The buyers, Oyegbuchi Leonard (50) and Hassan Umoru (55) both confessed to have bought heavy duty batteries and diesel oil from the suspects. They also confirmed making payment ranging from N15,000 to N20,000 differently and separately for items brought for sale but pleaded that they never knew the items were stolen.
The three suspects have been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for further investigations.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu stated that those buying stolen items are themselves criminals that must be made to face the course of justice. He added that without buyers of stolen items, there would be fewer thieves.