Naval officer arrested for stealing truck with N20M goods

A dismissed 28-year-old naval officer, Lawal Alli, who led five other gang members to allegedly hijack a truck with goods valued at N20m was recently apprehended by men of the Nigerian Police Force

According to a Punch report, suspect, Lawal Alli, and five others, hijacked a truck, driven by one Mr. Ganiyu Mustapha, who was conveying iron sheets and rods to Apapa. The truck marked, LSD782XB, was hijacked by the suspects around Navy Town, Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos State on Friday, November 14.

Lawal Alli, Babagana Muhammed, Muhammed Yinusa, Bello Umaru, Muhammed Tasiru and Abdullahi Bundi, were allegedly driving through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when they were arrested by policemen attached to the Department of Operations, Lagos State Police around the Isheri-Berger area of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Speaking with Punch, the Borno State born Lawal Alli revealed that he was a naval officer before he was dismissed in 2010 for negligence of duty.

““One Alhaji Ibrahim introduced me to the business. He is a businessman in Lagos. The police are still searching for him. He gave us the information about the truck and goods. He told me to arrange and hijack it. I had my uniform on and so we successfully snatched the truck after initially deceiving the victims that we were security personnel,” Alli confessed according to Punch.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, while confirming the arrest, said the case has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.