ESSC Arrests Three Over Alleged Plot To Steal, Sell Company’s Truck With Goods In Edo

by Idahosa Musa

Operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) have arrested three suspects over an alleged attempt to unlawfully dispose of a company’s delivery truck and its consignment of sachet water in Benin

The suspects were intercepted following intelligence reports that led security operatives to a Toyota Dyna truck belonging to a sachet water manufacturing company based in Asaba, Delta State.

According to report by The Nigerian Tribune, one of the suspects, Mohammed Magidji, a driver employed by the company, had been entrusted with the delivery of approximately 150 bags of sachet water to customers before he allegedly diverted the vehicle from its designated route.

Sources disclosed that rather than complete the assignment and remit the proceeds from the sales to his employer, Magidji allegedly conspired with two other suspects to move the truck to Edo State with plans to sell both the vehicle and its contents.

It was learnt that the suspects’ plan, however, hit a snag after a prospective buyer they had reportedly contacted became unreachable shortly after they arrived in Benin.

The trio were said to have subsequently embarked on a search for another buyer within the city, a move that reportedly attracted the attention of security operatives.

Acting on intelligence, operatives attached to the Igbobi and Egbean sectors of the ESSC launched a coordinated operation along Ekehuan Road, where the suspects were tracked and apprehended.

The security team also recovered the Toyota Dyna truck as well as the consignment of sachet water allegedly earmarked for sale.

During preliminary interrogation, two of the suspects, identified as Abdul Bashiru and Abamaka Abubaka, reportedly accused Magidji of masterminding the operation.

They claimed that the driver lured them into the venture under false pretenses and allegedly borrowed money to facilitate the movement of the vehicle from Delta State to Edo State.

Magidji, however, denied being the sole architect of the alleged scheme, insisting that all three suspects were jointly involved in the operation.

The conflicting accounts have since prompted further investigations by security authorities to determine the level of involvement of each suspect.

Reacting to the development, Deputy Commander of Operations of the Edo State Security Corps, Richard Balogun, commended the operatives for their swift response, vigilance and professionalism.

Balogun described the arrest and recovery as a major breakthrough in the corps’ sustained efforts to combat criminal activities and safeguard property across Edo State.

 

He reiterated the commitment of the ESSC to working with relevant security agencies to ensure that offenders are brought to justice and urged residents to continue providing useful information that could aid security operations.

The suspects are expected to be handed over to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.