Hotelier, one other in Ogun Police net for stealing company bus
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
A 47-year old hotelier, Paul Niwa and one Michael Odunayo have been arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command for stealing a bus belonging to A&G Logistics Transport Company Sagamu.
The Spokesman of the state police command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi who disclosed this on Sunday, said that Paul and Michael were arrested following a report over the missing bus lodged at Ewu-Oliwo divisional headquarters Sagamu on the 21st of April 2023 by one Anifowose Kazeem.
Kazeem was said to have reported that he was the driver in-charge of a T4 Volkswagen bus with registration number AAB 22 XB, and that while driving the said vehicle from Abeokuta towards Shagamu at about 1 a.m on the said day, the vehicle developed a mechanical fault at Sagamu interchange forcing him to park it by the roadside with the intention of coming with a mechanic in the morning to fix it.
He explained further that he was however surprised when he got to the scene the following morning and the bus was no longer there and that all efforts to find it proved abortive.
Upon the report, the DPO Ewu-Oliwo division, CSP Toyosi Bello was said to have detailed detectives to unravel those behind the disappearance of the said vehicle.
The police detectives were said to have embarked on technical and intelligence based investigation and were able to traced the missing vehicle to the compound of A@Z hotel at Elediye village Shagamu, where the vehicle had been butchered into pieces to be sold in parts.
The owner of the hotel, Paul Niwa was allegedly said to be there and was promptly arrested and taken to custody.
His arrest was said to have led to the apprehension of the second suspect 27-year old Michael Odunayo.
On interrogation, Michael Odunayo allegedly confessed to the police that it was himself and one Eri Adeyemi, who is now at large, that towed the vehicle away from where it was parked at about 2 a.m and 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.
The police disclosed further that preliminary investigation has revealed that Paul Niwa is an alleged serial receiver of stolen vehicles, which he used to dismember and sell in pieces or parts.
Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Babakura Muhammed, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to State Criminal Investigation Departments for further investigation.
He also directed that the remaining member of the gang, Eri Adeyemi be hunted and brought to book.
