A Naval rating, Oyewole Femi,who was arrested for leading a car snatching syndicate in Lagos, has boasted that he was untouchable as he would soon be released by the Police.
Femi ,50,and three others:Joshua Adeleke 41; Kabiru Ismaila, 38, and Ukpabi Bright Ikechukwu, 39,were arrested by policemen attached to Zone 2, Police Command, Onkan, Lagos , boasted that he had been arrested three times for the same offence of car theft/ robbery,but he always secured his freedom ,and still retained his job.
Femi, who is serving at the Headquarters of the Western Naval Command, Apapa, said he would soon be handed over to the Navy,but the investigation would end in futility as the previous arrests.
He said:”I am a serving naval officer attached to the Headquarters of the Western Naval Command, Naval base, Harbour Road, Apapa. I am the leader of the car snatching gang. I have served in the Nigerian Navy for 22-years. I have been arrested many times for similar offence by the police, but my senor officers will always protect me . I have also received more than 15 units of vehicles from members of my gang.
“In 2016, I was handed over to the Western Naval Command, when the police discovered that I am a serving naval officer for necessary disciplinary actions, but I was not dismissed from the force.
“I was one time , arrested alongside Joshua Adeleke, and Kabiru Ismaila, for similar offence by operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Ribbery Squad (SARS), in 2019, where seven units of vehicles were recovered from me, I still was not dismissed.
“I was handed over to naval authority for necessary disciplinary actions ,while Joshua, and Kabiru were prosecuted . Well, no disciplinary action was taken against me, because some of the receivers of the stolen vehicles are top officers in the Nigerian Na y . Infact, Naval officers are the beneficiaries”.
On his part, Joshua Adeleke, 48, admitted snatching many vehicles alongside Ismaila, and that all the cars stolen were handed over to Femi, who sold them to interested buyers.
“Oyewole Femi is our financier. It is based on his instructions,that we went out to steal cars, and after which we handed them over to him.
“We have sold over 25 vehicles to Femi. He bought them for ridiculous prices, as low as:N100,000, and N150,000. He was paying the money in pieces. AT times, N40,000,and N80,000. We sold the recent gold Toyota Camry 1999 model with registration number: MUS 499 AM to him for N100,000” he added.
The Assistant Inspector -General of Police (AIG) Adeyinka Adeleke, who paraded the suspects, said, he received intelligence on December 20, 2022, that some gang of car snatchers, robbed a victim of a Gold Toyota Sienna vehicle, and sold same to one of their numerous buyers.
The AIG, who was represented by Zonal Public Relations Officer, Hawa Idris Adamu,said Officer in charge of Anti-Piracy Team, SP Mariam Ogunmolasuyi, was directed by the AIG , to unmask those behind the car snatching.
She, said,the officer swung into action, during which four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.
” Two Gold colour Toyota Sienna (1999 model),and one white colour Toyota Camry (2003 model),were recovered from the suspects” he added.
