Suspected robbers have hijacked a truck loaded with goods belonging to Unilever company along the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode highway, Ogun State.
Police said the seven suspects were members of a syndicate who specialized in hijacking trucks on the expressway.
The suspects, who have been arrested by the police were identified as Onyegbuchi Nwafor, Idakole Benjamin, Ibrahim Musa, Abolade Shola, Ikem Ejimofor, Adebayo Jamiu, and Ayeye Edwin.
They were arrested following a distress call received at Odogbolu divisional headquarters on December 8, 2021.
At about 3am, the police got information that the gang had blocked the way to hijack a truck loaded with Blue Band products of Unilever Nigeria Ltd.
The robbers were said to have overpowered the driver and the motor-boy.
The duo were reportedly taken to the bush and they were tied down before their truck was driven away.
“On the strength of the distress call, the DPO Odogbolu division, SP Awoniyi Adekunle, quickly led his patrol team to the scene, but the hoodlums had moved away from the scene before their arrival.
“They started tracing the hoodlums based on the description of the hijacked truck. Their efforts paid off when the truck was sighted at Nairaland area of the expressway moving towards Ijebu-Ode road,” the Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said on Tuesday.
Oyeyemi said the police succeeded in arresting Musa Ibrahim, Shola Abolade and Edwin Ayeye while others escaped in a Honda space wagon car.
It was said that the fleeing members of the gang hired a lawyer and briefed him that police had unlawfully arrested some of their friends.
“On getting to the office of the DPO, the lawyer was told to produce those who briefed him about the case before those in police custody could be released.
“The lawyer there and then called them to come as the case is about to be settled. The duo of Nwafor Onyebuchi and Idakole Benjamin, who was later identified as dismissed police sergeants came around and they were subsequently arrested by the DPO and his men,” it was said.
The police spokesman said the suspects had confessed to being the ones who hijacked the Blue Band truck.
At the State CIID, the suspects had confessed that “they have so far hijacked four trucks loaded with different types of goods, such as pampers, Nutri C drinks, Blue band and Honey-well flour. The value of the hijacked goods so far is estimated to be N25,688,000.
“They confessed further that they have a readymade buyer, in one Alhaji Jamiu who lived in Kwara State. The said Alhaji Jamiu was traced to Erin-Ile in Kwara State where he was promptly arrested.
“Their major receiver and financier Ikem Ejimofor was traced to Jakande Estate, in Lagos where he was also arrested.
“While Alhaji Jamiu confessed that it was his truck the suspects used in blocking the road when the last truck was hijacked, Ikem Ejimofor on his part confessed being the receiver of all the robbed goods which he bought at a very ridiculous price.”
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Lanre Bankole, has directed that the suspect must be arraigned in court without delay.
