By Suleiman Shehu
The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested two transnational vehicle snatchers involved in trafficking stolen vehicles across Nigeria’s borders for sale in neigbouring countries.
The command also recovered a stolen Lexus SUV car.
This is contained in a statement on Wednesday in Ibadan, by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.
Olayinka said the arrest was made possible following a successful intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).
He explained that one of the arrested suspects already in police custody in connection with an armed robbery case, had during interrogation disclosed his knowledge of the activities of a criminal gang specialising in receiving and conveying stolen vehicles to neigbouring countries.
“Following this lead, operatives allowed the suspect to operate his mobile phone under controlled circumstances, during which members of the syndicate forwarded to him pictures of a vehicle they were about to steal.
”They instructed him to make proper arrangements for its reception, preparation and movement across the border for sale in a neigbouring country.
“Coincidentally, on Monday, the command received actionable information from the Police Command in Kwara, requesting assistance in intercepting a Lexus RX 350 SUV, 2017 model.
”According to the Kwara command, the vehicle had been stolen from a woman at gunpoint at her residence in Ilorin, alongside other valuables”.
He added that on receipt of the information, the state Commissioner of Police, directed the VCRU commander to immediately mount an intelligence-led stop-and-search operation along the Ibadan–Ilorin expressway in order to arrest the suspect and recover the stolen vehicle.
According to him, the VCRU operatives sighted the stolen Lexus SUV vehicle at about 4:00 a.m., on Monday and attempted to stop it for interrogation.
Olayinka said that the occupants however abandoned the vehicle and fled in different directions into the bush in an attempt to evade arrest.
“The operatives gave them a hot chase, resulting in the arrest of two suspects, one of whom sustained a bullet wound to his left foot during the operation.
“A search of the recovered vehicle led to the recovery of valuables belonging to the victim, including four HP laptops, one iPhone 15 Pro Max, a bag containing seven wristwatches and some jewellery”.
He said that the suspects during interrogatuon confessed to have received the vehicle from the syndicate that stole it in Ilorin.
”The suspects said that they were conveying the vehicle towards the border, where an ECOWAS document was to be obtained to facilitate its movement across the border for sale in a neigbouring country.
The PPRO quoted the state commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga as commending the operatives for their prompt response, professionalism and effective utilisation of actionable intelligence.
“The command appreciates the cooperation and intelligence-sharing between the Oyo and Kwara police commands.
”Sustained inter-state collaboration remains critical to effectively disrupting organised and trans-national criminal activities”.
