A former member of the House of Representatives, Adesegun Adekoya, has commended a Benue-based car dealer, Mr. George Akpan, for his honesty and diligence in foiling an attempt to sell his stolen vehicle.
Adekoya, who was a Deputy Minority Whip, said the incident involved his domestic staff, identified as Amadi Basil, who allegedly conspired with a driver to steal his new Toyota Camry valued at about ₦50 million from his residence in Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.
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According to him, the suspects drove the vehicle to Makurdi last Wednesday and approached Mr. Akpan to sell it. After negotiations, the car dealer reportedly agreed to pay ₦14 million for the vehicle.
However, before concluding the transaction, Akpan conducted due diligence by checking the vehicle’s details on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) portal to verify ownership.
In the process, he discovered that the vehicle was registered in Adekoya’s name, along with his phone number.
The car dealer subsequently sent a text message to the former lawmaker, requesting him to make contact.
In a follow-up message, Akpan explained that a Toyota Camry bearing Adekoya’s name had been brought to him for sale and that he was seeking to confirm the rightful ownership.
Adekoya said he requested the vehicle’s details and was sent its registration number, along with a video of the car, which confirmed it was indeed his stolen vehicle.
He then coordinated with the car dealer to set a trap for the suspects. The former lawmaker said he also informed his brother, a senior military officer, who liaised with Akpan to effect the arrest.
As part of the sting operation, the suspects were asked to return on Friday at about 9 a.m. to collect the agreed ₦14 million cash. They reportedly arrived as scheduled, only to be arrested by military personnel who had laid siege to the Makurdi mechanic village where the vehicle was parked.
The suspects were later transferred to Abuja and are currently in police custody at Gwarimpa.
Commending Akpan for his integrity, Adekoya said incidents of vehicle theft and other crimes would be drastically reduced if there were no willing buyers of stolen property.
He urged Nigerians, especially dealers in second-hand goods, to always carry out proper verification before concluding transactions.