Date: 2019-12-04

A former councillor in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, Samuel Adeojo, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for car theft.

Adeojo was fingered as the leader of a car theft syndicate notorious for stealing vehicles from car dealers under the guise of being a genuine buyer.

Until his arrest, the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement on Tuesday, said operatives had been on the ex-councillors trail after series of petitions against his gang's criminal activities were probed by the commission's Ibadan zonal office.

The anti-graft agency said no fewer than three cases of car theft had been established against the syndicate, with all the vehicles involved recovered and kept in its custody in Ibadan.

Investigations revealed that the gang deployed a similar pattern of tricks to steal vehicles from their victims.

The statement said, "According to EFCC's findings, Adeojo often pretend to be a medical doctor, adopting different names and different institutions as his place of work to appear responsible and create a false sense of confidence to deceive the victims.

According to the commission, one of the cases involved the theft of Toyota Avensis wagon car in which Adeojo claimed to be one 'Dr. Gboyega Omojola' of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

The case was said to have been reported to the EFCC, Ibadan office on March 23, 2019, by Tunde Adejuwon, an Ibadan-based car dealer.

Adejumo reportedly told the EFCC that Adeojo, who posed as Dr Omojola came in company with one Babatunde Oni, his supposed driver, to his stand to negotiate for the car and later agreed to pay N2 million.

After the agreement, Omojola allegedly issued a N2 million cheque ostensibly in favour of the dealer and ordered his 'driver' to pay it into his Zenith Bank account at Bodija, Ibadan.

Oni later came with a copy of the Zenith bank deposit teller, depicting 'payment' of the agreed sum into the dealer's account.

It was, however, later discovered that the payment was not approved as the payer used a cloned cheque for the transaction.

The commission stated, "Unfortunately, the decline did not come until after the gang had eloped with the vehicle. A similar scenario also played out in a petition by one Mr. Amos Oloja, also an Ibadan-based car dealer.

"Oloja alleged that the duo drove to his car stand in an Honda CRV for a Toyota Sienna car and agreed to pay N2.2 million for the vehicle.

"This time, Adeojo claimed to be Dr. Odumodu also of UCH, Ibadan, while Oni, his 'driver' gave his name as Kayode.

"Dr. Odumodu issued a cheque for the payment of the sum and directed his 'driver' to go with the dealer to lodge the cheque into his account domiciled in the First Bank, Iwo Road branch.

"Unfortunately, the cheque could not be confirmed as the account rather carried the name Akinjide Sefiu Odusanya. On hearing the news, Adeojo pretended to be surprised. He left with the SUV with the promises to go and bring another cheque to offset the car cost. Oni was left behind.

"Though Oni had pretended to be sick all the while, he took advantage of the time the dealer went to return a borrowed battery to his colleague to strike. Before the dealer's return, Oni made away with the negotiated Avensis car."

The two men were also linked with the theft of a Toyota Matrix car in Iwo, Osun State.

The EFCC further disclosed that Oni is currently in the Agodi Correctional Centre, following a court order, adding that Adeojo would soon be arraigned.