Posted by By Sunday Ojeme on
Three exotic vehicles stolen from Europe and shipped to Nigeria have been abandoned at the Roll-on-Roll-off (RoRo) unit of Tin Can Island Port.
Three exotic vehicles stolen from Europe and shipped to Nigeria have been abandoned at the Roll-on-Roll-off (RoRo) unit of Tin Can Island Port.
The vehicles, a Mercedes ML300 Jeep, Lexus LX300 Jeep and a Mercedes E Class salon, are currently being detained at the RoRo division of Port Police Station pending repatriation. According to Crime-file findings, the International Police (Interpol) had alerted the Nigeria Police over the theft before the arrival of the vessel, which brought the cars into the country.
Working on information available to them, the port police waited patiently for the vessel to arrive before impounding the vehicles.
When the purported owners arrived to clear them, they were asked to present their documents. Rather than do so, they were said to have abandoned the vehicles and took to their heels. Investigation on the matter is still on.
In a similar development two years ago, about four exotic vehicles were stolen overseas, precisely in London and shipped into the country in containers.
As soon as it was discovered, Scotland Yard promptly alerted the Nigerian High Commission in Britain and the then High Commissioner, Prince Bola
Ajibola, personally wrote a letter to the former Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha, to ensure recovery of the vehicles.
They were later recovered while those behind the theft and shipment, who claimed to be agents, were subsequently arrested.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the RoRo unit, Mr. Dasuki Galadima (CSP), was not available when Crime-file visited his office over the matter.
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Meanwhile, the Container Terminal port police division has arrested a truck driver (names withheld) for attempting to divert a container.
Crime-file gathered from reliable police source that the containers were legally cleared from the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, Apapa, a few weeks ago moments before the driver and his colleagues were arrested.
According to the source, the truck, which conveyed the containers, a Fiat T682 T3, carried a forged registration number plate, which eventually gave them away to the police.
They were arrested when the policemen on highway demanded for the particulars of the vehicle. After a thorough scrutiny of the papers, the registration number on the truck was found to be different from that on the particulars.
They were subsequently arrested while the truck was driven to the police station. The wine colour truck is presently being detained at the police division inside the port with the tyres deflated.
Efforts to get the Divisional Police Officer, Mr Abdullahi (CSP) to comment on the matter was not successful as he was said to be indisposed.
However, Crime-file gathered that the case is still under investigation.