Two suspected members of a vehicle-vandalism syndicate operating in Lagos have revealed how economic hardship allegedly pushed them into targeting Toyota Sienna, Corolla and Hilux vehicles.
The suspects, identified as 46-year-old Uba Chigozie and 37-year-old Emeka Emordi, were arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Lagos State Police Command.
According to police sources, the syndicate specialises in removing valuable components from vehicles parked by the roadside or abandoned after breakdowns.
The suspects allegedly targeted brain boxes, push-button machines, pigeon holes and air-conditioning vents, with police claiming that members could strip a vehicle of some parts within 10 minutes and make up to N100,000 from an operation.
‘Life became difficult’
Chigozie, an indigene of Anambra State and former spare-parts dealer, said he became involved in the illegal trade after the demolition of his shop at Papa Ajao Spare Parts Market.
He explained that after losing his livelihood, he went to Ladipo Market to work as a ‘Baranda’—someone who connects customers with spare-parts dealers.
It was there, he said, that he met a man known as Oba, who allegedly introduced him to vehicle vandalism.
“Life was difficult for me. I was in the village when our shops were demolished. When things became very difficult and I could not afford to take care of my wife and three children, I went to Ladipo Spare Parts Market to do ‘Baranda’,” he said.
Chigozie claimed that he had been involved in the operation for about 10 years, adding that a vandalised brain box could be sold for about N40,000, while a push-start button could fetch N10,000.
He said there were occasions when his share from an operation reached N100,000.
‘I lost my driving job’
Emordi, an indigene of Asaba, Delta State, said he previously worked as a casual driver at a flour mill in Lagos before he was disengaged.
According to him, the loss of his job left him struggling to survive and eventually took him to Ladipo Market, where he was allegedly introduced to vehicle vandalism in 2022.
He said Toyota Sienna, Corolla and Hilux models were their preferred targets, particularly vehicles parked along roadsides or those that had broken down.
“Our targets are Toyota Sienna, Corolla and Hilux. Our primary targets are vehicles that are parked at roadside or broken-down vehicles,” he said.
Emordi claimed that the gang’s first operation took place at a mechanic workshop in the Isolo area, where he was taught how to remove brain boxes and push-button machines.
‘We used a jack that looked like a gun’
The suspect said the gang did not carry firearms during their operations but used a modified Mercedes-Benz jack which allegedly looked like a rifle to scare anyone who confronted them.
“We didn’t use a gun during operations. We only have a Mercedes-Benz jack, which looks like a gun, to threaten our victims whenever they confronted us while vandalising their vehicles,” he said.
According to police sources, the suspects and other members of the syndicate lived in different parts of Lagos but converged at night before embarking on their operations.
Chigozie said he had been staying in a hotel in Ijesha for about four months before his arrest, explaining that the arrangement made it easier for him to join the gang whenever there was “business.”
He said he was arrested in the hotel after the police had already apprehended Emordi, whom he described as one of the gang members.
The Lagos State Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the arrests and said operatives were pursuing other members of the syndicate.
She warned criminals in the state to abandon their activities or face the consequences of the law, assuring residents that the command, under CP Fatai Tijani, would continue its efforts to rid Lagos of criminal elements.