By; BAYO AKAMO Ibadan
Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Odude on Friday said a serving solder and three other suspects are now in Police net in Ibadan for allegedly hijacking a fuel -laden truck along Akobo, Iwo road.
Also, other suspects were nabbed by the command for allegedly stealing six Sino trucks and a Toyota Camry car belonging to George Investment Company, Ibadan.
Briefing newsmen at the Oyo State Police Command ’s headquarters in Eleyele area of Ibadan, the Police Commissioner declared that the soldier is presently serving with the 81 Battalion, Makola, Ibadan.
“The gang led by the soldier hijacked a 40 , 000 litre truck with registration number ABJ 132 XA at about 9 :30 p . m. and abducted the driver and the conductor. They later took them to Omi -Adio after robbing them of their money and valuables and thereafter drove the truck to Akure/ Ilesa road.” he said.
CP Odude disclosed that the four suspects identified as Corporal Akpan Edet (28), Onyeka Joshua (34), Onhonwen Raphael (32), Ugo Monday (31), and Ifeanyi Emmanuel (37) were arrested on Nov. 11 along Akobo, Iwo Road , Ibadan and that police investigations have revealed that the gang members were responsible for waylaying and subsequently hijacking trucks along the expressway.
“The alarm raised by the victim attracted some members of the community who alerted the police that led to their arrest and also recovered the truck , ’
On the case of the other suspects, arrested in connection with the alleged stealing of a Toyota Camry car belonging to George Investment Company , Ibadan.
CP Odude stated that investigation conducted by the Special Anti – Robbery Squad led to the arrest of the suspect and one other in Edo and Abuja and that the six trucks were sold in Kaduna at the rate of N20 million while the Camry car was given to a yet -to- be -identified pastor in Abuja.
“ As a result of the diligent investigation by the SARS , all the trucks and two other cars were recovered and the criminal receiver also arrested. ”
Oher suspects paraded by the police were arrested for allegedly stealing, cultism, armed robbery , unlawful possession of counterfeit currency and impersonation were paraded while items such as two cut- to- size single barrel guns, two Laptop computers, eight mobile phones, a mask and charms were recovered from them .
Answering questions from newsmen, the arrested army corporal disclosed that he was currently serving with the 81 Battalion of the Army at Mokola, Ibadan and that he and his gang were unable to hijack a truck the first time they tried, but on November 17, 2017. The leader of the gang Onyeka Joshua narrated that they used the soldier to effectively carry out the hijack.
“We asked for the waybill of the fuel, but they could not produce it. We believed they were involved in bunkering and so we arrested them. We told them we were taking them to the Barracks, but we eventually took them to Omi Adio where we dropped them off” he said.
