Officials of the Oyo state police command have recovered a black Toyota Landcruiser Sports Utility Vehicle belonging to the Delta State Government from a suspected robber in the Saki, Oke-Ogun area of the state.
The SUV was snatched at gunpoint from the driver who sustained some injuries and was taken to a hospital.
The suspect, John Pouoro, was apprehended while some suspected members of his gang escaped on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 while they drove the car marked, DT 25 B-31 across the border to the Benin Republic.
The suspect told the police that he was playing the role of a courier for his principal, who he identified simply as Alhaji Sokoto. Opuoro added that he was promised N150,000 for the job.
It was understood that Sokoto operated a cross-border car-snatching ring from the Benin Republic.
The suspect according to the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, offered bribe to the police instantly after he was arrested while the other gang members took to their heels.
He said, “A team of policemen on foot patrol, led by Inspector Samuel Godwin, intercepted a black Landcruiser along Saki/Ilesa Baruba Road on March 11 this year.
“The cross-border robber, accompanied by other members of the gang, now at large, attempted to transport the vehicle to the Benin Republic where a notorious receiver, identified as Alhaji, was waiting to collect it.
“Opuoro, tried to bribe the police when he was arrested. Investigation revealed that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint in Delta State. Efforts have been put in place to apprehend the rest of the gang. If they had succeeded, they would have sold the car back to Nigeria as a fairly-used car.”
On his part, the suspect said, “I was in Lagos when Alhaji Sokoto, who I met in January this year, called me from Cotonou. He said a car was on its way from Delta and that I should bring it to Cotonou. But he later told me to collect the car in Ore. I took it from one Emeka in Ore.
“On my way, I was tired and while sleeping somewhere, the police came and arrested me. I’ve once helped Alhaji to drive a car to Cotonou.”
