Posted by By GABRIEL DIKE, Osogbo on
A lawmaker in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Ajibola Olaide is currently battling hard to explain to detectives in Osogbo how he came about a stolen Nissan Civilian bus belonging to the National Assembly.
A lawmaker in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Ajibola Olaide is currently battling hard to explain to detectives in Osogbo how he came about a stolen Nissan Civilian bus belonging to the National Assembly.
The bus which has been renumbered was recovered after the operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) raided a car dealer's shop following a tip off.
Daily Sun gathered that a neighbour who saw how the vehicles' wind screens were broken and replaced with new ones same day alerted the police as the action raised suspicion that something funning was going on. He informed a police officer and this triggered investigations into the matter.
The policeman, it was learnt, requested for back up and the SARS operatives stormed the car dealer's shop only to find various vehicles including the bus belonging to the National Assembly, Abuja packed within the premises, with changed number plates and new wind screens. Sources at SARS confirmed to Daily Sun that the AC lawmaker and other suspects who bought the stolen vehicles from the dealer were arrested and detained while eight vehicles were recovered and moved to the Oke Baale office of the anti robbery squad. But the lawmaker and other suspects who also bought cars from the dealer told SARS operatives that they were not aware that the vehicles were stolen.
The source disclosed that the robbers who stole the NASS bus gave it out as a loan collateral to someone, with a promise to refund within a specific date but they failed to show up.
SARS investigations revealed that the receiver of the cars and bus having waited for long for the repayment, sold them based on the agreement that if they failed to pay back the loan within a specified period, the vehicles could be sold..
The Osun lawmaker, SARS investigations revealed bought the NASS bus from the car dealer without knowing it was a stolen property. Olaide who is representing Olorunda Constituency according to sources purchased the NASS bus for N2.3million from a third party. It was to be used as school bus for his nursery and primary school in Osogbo.
Another account said a robbery suspect named Temidayo Akinyemi was arrested by the operatives of SARS on May 21 in Osogbo, and named the AC lawmaker as one of those who purchased stolen cars from his gangs. Based on his information Daily Sun learnt that the police swung into action and in the process, eight suspected stolen vehicles were recovered and taken to SARS office at Oke Baale where further investigations revealed the true registration numbers of the cars.
Sources further disclosed that the Nissan Civilian bus original registration number is NASS 950. But when it was recovered it had Kwara State registration number.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Josiah Olayemi, confirmed the story but could not give details but noted that SARS operatives were handling the case.
The AC lawmaker at the centre of the scandal, Hon. Olaide told Daily Sun on phone that he was not bothered about the case because the ruling party had politicize the whole matter and that the attempt to pull him down would not succeed. Olaide's words: 'I will not allow this issue to distract me from my political responsibility. I am a grassroot politician. Let us wait for the police to conclude their investigations".
However, the case has taken a twist as the prime suspect being detained in SARS office reportedly died after mentioning names of the car buyers.
But the family of the suspect accused the SARS operatives of torturing him to death in the process of extracting information from their bread winner wondering why his corpse was dumped at LAUTECH mortuary without their knowledge.