A Toyota Landcruiser Sport Utility Vehicle, belonging to Delta State Government, was recovered from suspected robbers in Saki in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State while making attempt to drive the vehicle across the border to Benin Republic.
The black jeep with number plate DT 25 B-31, was recovered by men of the Oyo State Police Command on Wednesday last week along the Saki/Ilesa Baruba road from one John Opuoro, who claimed to have been contacted by one Alhaji Sokoto, to drive the vehicle to Benin Republic.
Sokoto, it was learnt, operates a cross-border car-snatching syndicate from Benin Republic.
Opuoro said he was promised N150,000 for the job.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said the suspected member of the gang made an attempt to bribe the police on the spot of his arrest after other members of the gang managed to escape.
He added that the car was snatched at gunpoint in Delta State.
Katsina added, “A team of policemen on foot patrol, led by Inspector Samuel Godwin, intercepted on black Landcruiser jeep along the Saki/Ilesa Baruba road on March 11 this year. The cross-border robber accompanied by other members of the gang, now at large, attempted to transport the vehicle to Benin Republic, where a notorious receiver identified as Alhaji was waiting to collect it.
“One of the suspects, Opuoro, tried to bribe the police when he was arrested.
“Investigation revealed that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint in Delta State. Efforts have been put in place to apprehend the rest of the gang. If they had succeeded, they would have sold the car back to Nigeria as fairly used imported car.”
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