Joy Anyim
A cart pusher, notorious for vandalising trucks in Lagos, have been arrested by the Operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Police Command.
The suspected vandal, Sunday Ogbonna, 27, was arrested alongside two receivers around Toyota Bus Stop, Oshodi, Lagos, at dawn. Recovered from his cart were a radiator, two heavy-duty batteries and four jerry cans filled with diesel.
While been interrogated by operatives, Ogbonna denied involvement in the alleged crime, saying the truck radiator, two batteries and four Jerry cans of diesel were handed over to him in Ilasa, Lagos, by two young men, around 4 a.m. same day.
He added that he was close to Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Oshodi, when the police stopped him. “I looked back and I didn’t see any of the guys that had engaged me to carry the items”, the suspect said.
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“Although this wasn’t the first time, I would be helping them to carry materials like that to Ladipo. It was the fourth. I charged them N2,500 for these particular materials. At another time, I had collected N1,800 for such things.
“Once I get to Ladipo, they would tell me to wait while they sold off those materials and pay me. The materials I helped them carry before were eight jerry cans filled with diesel and batteries. They were sold off in Ladipo, ” he said.
The receivers, Oyebuchi Leonard, 50, and Hassan Umoru, 55, both confessed to having bought heavy-duty batteries and jerry cans of diesel from the suspect. They also confirmed making payment ranging from N15,000 to N20,000 separately, for items brought for sale. They pleaded that they never knew the items were stolen.
The three suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba, for further investigations.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu stated that those buying stolen items are themselves criminals that must be made to face the course of justice. He added that without buyers of stolen items, there would be fewer thieves.
