The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a sophisticated vehicle fraud syndicate accused of defrauding automobile dealers of luxury vehicles worth hundreds of millions of naira through fake business transactions, dud cheques and elaborate deception.
Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, disclosed the breakthrough during a press briefing on Tuesday, saying detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, merged three separate investigations after discovering that the suspects belonged to the same organised criminal network.
According to the police, the syndicate allegedly targeted reputable vehicle dealers by posing as genuine buyers or claiming to be purchasing vehicles for prominent politicians and business interests. After gaining the dealers’ trust, the suspects allegedly issued dud or post-dated cheques before disappearing with the vehicles.
The investigation began with the arrest of a suspect, Muritala, who allegedly confessed to obtaining several vehicles under the false promise of making payment after selling them. He reportedly identified Fatai Balogun, popularly known as “Eleku,” as an accomplice. Further investigations linked Balogun to multiple fraud cases and uncovered a wider vehicle theft network.
Using intelligence and the AUTOREG vehicle tracking platform, detectives recovered a Toyota RAV4, two Toyota Highlander SUVs, a 2020 Toyota Hiace bus and a 2018 Ford Edge SUV. Another suspect, Otunba Olamilekan Ismail, who allegedly received some of the vehicles, is currently on the run.
Police also revealed that the syndicate allegedly obtained seven vehicles worth about ₦700 million after falsely claiming they were meant for politicians in Abuja. The suspects reportedly paid with post-dated cheques that were later dishonoured due to insufficient funds.
In a separate case linked to the same network, detectives uncovered the alleged fraudulent acquisition of ten 2016 Toyota Hiace buses valued at about ₦320 million. Eight of the buses have been recovered, although police said they were badly damaged, while two buses worth about ₦56.5 million are still missing.
CP Fatai said all three cases followed the same pattern, with the syndicate using fraudulent payments, intermediaries and third parties to conceal the identities of the principal beneficiaries.
He assured residents that efforts are ongoing to arrest all fleeing suspects, recover the remaining vehicles and dismantle the criminal network. The commissioner also advised vehicle dealers to verify payments before releasing vehicles and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to support police investigations.