Car Theft: Panel beater, gang member finger Nigeria Police Inspector in alleged armed robbery

*The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police confirm the arrest and detention of Police Inspector Aminu Muhammed for a purported robbery in the state, as a member of the armed robbery gang already on the Police wanted list for other crimes, confessed to the robbery, and mentioned Muhammed as the mastermind of the crime

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police has confirmed the arrest and detention of Aminu Muhammed, a Police inspector, for alleged robbery in the state.

Inspector Muhammed was reported to have the robbery incident at the residence of those around his duty station, in the ‘C’ Division, in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.

Speaking in the incident, William Ayah, Police Spokesperson in the state, who confirmed the incident Tuesday, July 16, 2024, said the indicted Police inspector had been arrested, and he is already in detention.

Ayah also disclosed Bertrand Onuoha, Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, has ordered a thorough investigation into the purported misconduct of the Inspector.

In regard to how detained Muhammed got enmeshed in the robbery incident, luck ran out on the inspector, following the escapades of a notorious gang who specialised in robbing houses of household items and cars in the state.

A stolen car was found in the workshop of the Police Inspector’s panel beater, who was already working on changing the colour of the car at Ochadamu, in the Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

Subsequently, those who knew the vehicle, and were aware of the earlier robbery incident in the owner’s house June 14, 2024, quickly raised the alarm upon sighting the car, Channels TV report said.

The car’s number plate had already been changed to an Abuja number, just as a car dealer’s receipt, backdated to 2020, was presented by the officer as his evidence of purchasing it, report stated.

It was also gathered that Muhammed’s panel beater had primed the car preparatory to changing its colour before the alarm was raised, and Policemen of the Quick Response Unit (QRU) attached to the Police Area Command, in Idah, immediately apprehended the artisan.

However, on reaching the ‘A’ Division in Lokoja, where the QRU took the apprehended panel beater, it was found that the criminals, who committed the robbery had already been arrested for committing another crime in the state.

One of the members of the gang of armed robbers, who had also been on the Police wanted list for other crimes, confessed to the commission of the robbery, and subsequently, named Police Inspector Muhammed as the mastermind of the crime.

The suspect also confessed that the robbery gang was contracted to rob the house of the owner of the car with the aim of getting the car for the Policeman.