Car dealer who specializes in buying stolen cars paraded in Lagos

48 year old Alhaji Mahmud Abdulakeen Tanko (pictured left) has been arrested and paraded by the Lagos state Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for selling cars he buys from a gang of armed robbers who specialize in snatching cars in Abuja. (right are some of the recovered cars)According to police, Tanko was arrested in Abuja after a member of the robbery gang that supplies him with stolen cars was arrested in Rivers state and confessed. Tanko was paraded alongside four others identified as Musa Yusuf, 27, Israel Nana, 30, Moses Andrel, 25 and Abayomi Adebayo, 53. 

According to PM News, when interrogated, Tanko said he was aware the young men supplied him with stolen cars but buys them because they are cheap and helped him to maximize his profit. He said he was not a robber for purchasing from the thieves.

Adebayo, one of the gang member who was arrested in Ayobo, Lagos was responsible for forging and changing chasis numbers of vehicles while Anrel who is a Liberian and a driver with UACN was arrested in Oyo state and confessed to selling four stolen cars. Another member of the gang, Nana was arrested in Rivers state and confessed to selling two stolen cars. 

The Lagos state Police commissioner, CP Aderanti  said they were able to apprehend the robbers through intensive surveillance, aggressive patrol and cutting edge technology. He said 16 cars including a Toyota Camry, Nissan, Sienna, Outlander Jeeps, Toyota Sienna, SUVs among others were recovered from the men.