A 47-year old hotelier, Paul Niwa, and one Michael Odunayo have been alleged to have sold a stolen bus for the sum of N300,000 only.
The duo, who were arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command, were alleged to have stolen the bus.
The bus, as contained in a release by the state police image-maker, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, AZ:5310/OGS/PRO/VOL.7/213.
23/04/2023, belonged to A&G Logistics Transport Company Shagamu.
The two suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Ewu-Oliwo Divisional Headquarters Shagamu on 21 April, 2023 by one Anifowose Kazeem.
Kazeem had reported that he is the driver in charge of a T4 Volkswagen bus with registration number AAB 22 XB.
He stated that, while driving the said vehicle from Abeokuta towards Shagamu at about 1 am, on the date, the vehicle developed a mechanical fault at the Sagamu Interchange.
This, he said, which made him to park the vehicle by the roadside with the intention of coming with a mechanic in the morning to fix it.
But surprisingly, when he got to the scene the following morning, the bus was no longer there and all efforts to find it proved abortive, SP Oyeyemi stated.
“Upon the report, the DPO Ewu-Oliwo Division, CSP Toyosi Bello, detailed detectives to unravel those behind the disappearance of the said vehicle.
“The detectives, who embarked on technical and intelligence-ibased investigation were able to traced the missing vehicle to the compound of A@Z hotel at Elediye Village Sagamu.
“The vehicle had however been butchered into pieces to be sold in parts.
“The owner of the hotel, Paul Niwa, was there and then promptly arrested and taken to custody.
“His arrest led to the apprehension of the second suspect, 27-year old Michael Odunayo.
“On interrogation, Michael Odunayo confessed to the police that it was himself and one Eri Adeyemi, now at large, that towed the vehicle away from where it was parked at about 2am.
“He said Eri Adeyemi took it to Paul Niwa, who happened to be a regular buyer of such stolen vehicle and he bought it at the rate of N300,000.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that Paul Niwa is a serial receiver of stolen vehicles which he used to dismantle and sell in pieces,” the Ogun Police image-maker stated.
Meanwhile, the acting Commissioner of Police in the state, DCP Babakura Muhammed, has ordered the transfer of the suspects to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
He also directed that the remaining member of the gang, Eri Adeyemi, be hunted for and brought to book, SP Oyeyemi added.
