The Ogun State Police Command has launched a search for two suspects who allegedly stole a Scania truck loaded with aluminum and iron scraps from Owode Onirin, Lagos. The truck, which was later recovered, had been used in an attempt to sell the stolen materials for over N10 million. The police have vowed to capture the suspects, who remain at large.
According to Akeem Bashiru, a scrap dealer who first reported the suspicious activity, the incident began on November 5, 2024, when the suspects arrived at his shop in Bara Village with a Scania truck, bearing registration number JJJ 288 XX.
“At around 8:00 am, two men came to me with a truckload of iron scraps valued at N10.3 million. Their haste to receive payment raised my suspicion, so I decided to investigate further,” Bashiru recounted.
In an effort to verify the origin of the goods, Bashiru directed the men to a nearby Chinese company in Sagamu, instructing the manager not to release payment until the true ownership of the goods was confirmed.
“When I realized they might be thieves, I asked the Chinese company’s manager not to pay until we verified who owned the materials. The suspects kept calling and pressuring me to pay but never returned in person,” Bashiru said.
During his inquiries, Bashiru discovered that the truck and its contents had been stolen from Owode Onirin in Lagos and belonged to a man named Adesipe Jimoh. The truck was later found abandoned at Ibafo Township, left beside the road, empty of its cargo.
Upon receiving Bashiru’s report, operatives of the Owode Egba police division quickly moved to the location where the truck was abandoned. Ogun State Police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the recovery of the vehicle.
“Detectives visited the scene at Ibafo and recovered the Scania truck. Efforts to track down the fleeing suspects and locate the stolen goods taken to the Chinese company are ongoing,” Odutola explained.
She added, “The case is under active investigation. We are determined to bring these suspects to justice and ensure all involved in this crime face appropriate legal consequences.”
The Ogun State Police Command has recently intensified its efforts to combat vehicle theft and other forms of crime. In July 2024, the command recovered a black Nissan Pathfinder Jeep, which had been illegally converted into a pickup van, from two suspects in the Lafenwa area.