Container Thieves Nabbed At Lagos Port

OPERATIVES of Special Anti-Robbery Squad,
(SARS), at the Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos,
have arrested some thieves who specialize in
stealing containers loaded with goods from the
Apapa Wharf and Tin-Island Port.
Five hundred cartons of drugs were recovered from
three of the thieves. The Guardian gathered that the
suspects who were identified as Emmanuel Onyike,
51; Alabi Daudu, 68, and Paul Aina 58, were
apprehended after they stole a 40ft container
loaded with pharmaceutical products valued at $
200,000, belonging to United States Agency for
International Development (USAID).
Sources disclosed that a petition signed by a
representative of the agency, Bankole Michael, was
sent to the Assistant Inspector General of Police,
AIG, in Charge of Zone 2, Mbu Joseph Mbu,
alleging that he contracted a transport and
logistics firm to deliver the drugs at the warehouse
of Society for Family Health (SFH), Sango Otta, but
the drugs were diverted.
The AIG was said to have directed the officer in
charge of SARS, Peter Gana, to investigate the
matter. A source who spoke with The Guardian on
the condition of anonymity, disclosed that a
member of the syndicate was trailed through phone
tracking to Ikorodu area of Lagos State, where he
was arrested.
He was said to have confessed to the crime and
led SARS operatives to arrest Paul and Alabi in
their hideouts.
“Onyike also mentioned one Babawale, Ikechukwu,
Shola and Alhaji. He led us to a warehouse in
Igando area of the state where 500 cartons of the
drugs were recovered. Our investigations have so
far indicated that the syndicate operates fake
transport and logistic firm at the port and they
usually divert goods from their destination
whenever they get contracted,” the source said.
Meanwhile, when The Guardian interacted with the
suspects, Onyike, who is an amputee, confessed
that he was new in the business and he joined the
syndicate because he needed money for his
upkeep.
“I am a native of Owerri, Imo State and I lost one of
my legs last year in a car crash. One of my friends,
Babawale got me involved in this business and he
promised to pay me N500, 000, if I can help him
get a warehouse where he could store the goods.
“I knew a man who has an empty warehouse in
Igando and I approached him. I lied to him that the
goods belonged to a friend who lives abroad and
he accepted.
“I don’t know how Babawale and others stole the
goods from the port, but the money they promised
to pay me after the sale of the goods was what
lured me into the business,” he said.