Drama in Ikeja as Owners Storm Police Headquarters to Reclaim 43 Stolen Cars

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

There was mild drama at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, on Monday as owners of stolen vehicles stormed the parade ground to identify and reclaim their cars among 43 vehicles recovered by the police in coordinated operations in September.

The vehicles, neatly arranged for inspection, drew a large crowd of victims, family members and curious residents shortly after the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Olayiwola Fatai, briefed journalists on the Command’s monthly achievements.

CP Fatai said operatives arrested 32 suspects involved in armed robbery, cultism, unlawful possession of firearms and other violent crimes. He listed exhibits recovered to include 43 vehicles and two vehicle keys, five pump-action guns, five locally-made pistols, 20 live ammunition/cartridges, 15 expended ammunition, N2.5 million cash, vandalised electrical wires and other items.

Immediately after the briefing, emotional scenes played out as victims who reported cases of car snatching and armed robbery in Surulere, Ikeja, Lekki, Egbeda and other parts of Lagos moved from one vehicle to another, checking number plates, chassis numbers, colours and peculiar marks.

One middle-aged man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said his Toyota Camry was snatched at gunpoint in Surulere in early September.

“I never thought I would see it again. I filed a report at the division and gave up hope. I rushed down here immediately a friend told me the police recovered many vehicles,” he said with relief.

A woman was seen in tears after identifying her Honda Accord, which she said was stolen from a church car park in Yaba last month.

Police sources said many of the recovered vehicles were snatched during robbery operations and were about to be re-registered with forged documents, sold to unsuspecting buyers, or dismantled for spare parts. The recovery of a bag containing vehicle spare parts and tools, one car jack and one radiator alongside the vehicles points to a well-organised syndicate that specialises in stripping stolen cars.

Security experts described the recovery of 43 vehicles in one month as unusual, noting it indicates improved intelligence gathering and inter-division collaboration by the Lagos Command.

CP Fatai advised genuine owners to come forward with valid proof of ownership for verification and release. Claimants are required to present original vehicle registration documents, police report of the theft, and valid means of identification in line with due process to prevent wrongful release to criminals.

He assured that the Command will sustain intelligence-led operations against car-snatching syndicates, especially as the ember months approach when such crimes usually increase, warning that Lagos will remain hostile to criminal elements.

The Command also urged residents to promptly report stolen vehicles, install tracking devices, and provide timely and credible information to aid police investigations.