- Deceased suspect just returned from America
The police in Apapa, Lagos, have killed a suspect for allegedly robbing a car dealer of one of his vehicles, after he had pretended as a prospective buyer and was allowed to test-drive the car.
The suspect, said to be a son of a serving customs officer (names withheld) and who had just returned to the country from his base in the United States of America, was killed by policemen trailing him after he had committed the crime.
Our correspondent gathered that the deceased suspect, who arrived in the country a few weeks ago and stayed with his parents in their Apapa home for just a day, had told them that he was going to buy Venza, a Toyota brand at the Seme Border Post the next day.
Police sources said that a day after his return, the customs chief’s son stole his father’s service pistol and went with it to the Seme Border Post to carry out his secret plan.
At a dealer’s shop located around the border post, the suspect was said to have seen his choice of car and immediately bargained with the dealer on price, demanding to test-drive the vehicle before paying for it.
The car dealer, who did not object to his request, was said to have detailed his salesman to stay with the suspect while the test-driving lasted.
Mid-way into the test-driving, the prospective buyer, who later turned out to be an armed robber, was said to have brandished a service pistol to scare the salesman.
The salesman was said to have scampered out of the car, while the suspect zoomed off at high speed.
However, unknown to the suspected robber, the car was fitted with a tracker. He rode towards his father’s house, while the matter was reported to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad attached to the Seme Border Post by the car dealer.
The suspect was later trailed to a corner just a stone throw to his parents Apapa home where he was apprehended.
According to the source, on sighting the police, the suspected robber swiftly picked his pistol from its holster and attempted to cork it, resulting in an exchange of fire in which he was killed on the spot.
He was said to have been shot dead by one Sergeant Egwu.
Our correspondent learnt that the lifeless body of the robber and the exhibits were later taken to Area’ B’ Divisional Headquarters for documentation.
“It was at the station that the corpse of the boy was identified as that of the son of the customs chief. A call was also put through to his dad who rushed to the station, when he heard the sad news,” the source said.
It was gathered that when the customs chief was questioned by the police about the ownership of the pistol with which his late son allegedly carried out the robbery,“ he calmly admitted being the owner after a brief check.
“The customs officer’s initial noise that the police had illegally killed his son immediately came down when he realised that his job and career would be on the line if he continued to make further unnecessary noise over the action by the police, who merely responded to a distress call.”
The customs officer was said to have agreed to co-operate with the police by allowing the matter to be “settled amicably.”
A text message to the mobile phone of the Arca Commander, ACP Okoro for comments over the matter was not returned as at press time.
