3 Suspected Thieves Nabbed For Diverting N40million Worth Of USAID Drugs

Posted by George on Mon 27th Jul, 2015 - tori.ng

The police in Lagos State have arrested three suspected thieves, who allegedly diverted a container loaded with pharmaceutical drugs, valued at N40m to the Igando area of the state.

The three suspects

According to Punch Metro, three suspects namely Emmanuel Onyike, 51; Alabi Daudu, 68; and Paul Aina, 58,were nabbed by the agents of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad attached to Zone 2, on Saturday, July 18 for diverting a container-load of pharmaceutical drugs valued at N40m, to the Igando area of Lagos state. 3 other cohorts namely Ikechukwu, Babawale Shola and Alhaji, are still at large.

The police revealed that the container which belongs to the United States Agency for International Development, was heading for a warehouse of the Society for Family Health in Sango Ota, Ogun state. The suspects fraudulently hijacked the container and conveyed it to a secret warehouse in Igando with the intention of selling the drugs. The contained had about 500 cartons of drugs which have been recovered by the police.

One of the culprits, Dauda from Abeokua who spoke to PunchMetro, revealed his role was to get a truck to convey the goods after which buyers will be sourced for.

Dauda said, “Babawale was a friend, and he was the one who brought the deal. He told me he had some goods, and I should get him a truck to convey them. I knew it was stolen goods, but I did not know they were USAID drugs.

"We drove from the Tin Can Port to an area in Igando. Babawale deceived me that the truck contained household batteries. He did not let the three of us know the warehouse.

"This is the fourth operation I would be participating in. I was arrested by the SARS, Ikeja, on a case of diverting roofing sheets. I got N1.8m from the operation. I got N2m from the second. I cannot remember the third. But now, I am repentant. I have grandchildren.”

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 Command, Joseph Mbu, said investigations were ongoing on the matter.