Islamic Cleric Arrested For Robbery In Lagos Confidently Confesses: “I’ve Stolen Just 4 Cars This Year”

Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old
Islamic cleric, Rasheed Ayuba, for alleged car theft.
Ayuba, who hails from Igbesa, Ogun State, was
apprehended along with a transporter in Ibadan, Oyo
State, Falade Igbekele, who reportedly bought six of the
stolen cars.
A bunch of master keys and about 13 other car keys, as
well as charms, were recovered from Ayuba. The
suspect, who also teaches at an Arabic school in Ishasi,
Lagos, was caught sometime in June after he entered
into a hotel in the Ikotun area to steal a Toyota Camry
parked on the premises.
He was driving out the car when he was caught by
vigilantes in the neighbourhood, who handed him over
to officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. Ayuba
reportedly told the police that he bought the master
keys for N9,000 from one John, a BeninoiseHe said, “I
finished from an Arabic school in Ikotun and started
teaching Arabic in Ishasi. At about 11pm on June 8, I
went to a hotel around Ile-Iwe bus stop to steal a
Toyota Camry. But I was arrested by the security guards
in the area.
“I got the master keys I used from John, who is
from Benin Republic. We met in 2013 in Lagos
and he sold the master keys to me. Since then, I
had been using them to steal cars. I usually sold
the cars to my customers in Ibadan. One of them
is Falade (Igbekele) to whom I sold six cars, and
Friday, who bought a Toyota Camry.
“It was only four cars I had stolen this year
before I was arrested. I sold a Toyota Camry to
one pastor Dare for N100,000, and a Honda for
N80,000 to another pastor. But pastor Dare had
just paid me N50,000. They all knew I stole the
cars.”
Fifty-two-year-old Igbekele confessed to have
bought six cars from Ayuba, saying a friend
introduced him to Ayuba. The indigene of Ondo
State added that he used some of the vehicles for
commercial purpose.
“I knew Alfa Ayuba through a friend called Lucky
Star. Lucky told me Alfa sells vehicles and I said I
had interest in buying them. He had sold six
vehicles to me so far, including a Nissan Sunny
and a Nissan Primero. I bought them for N150,000
each.
“I bought all the cars from Alfa three years ago.
He told me he stole them and I asked if I would
not get into trouble; he said yes,” Igbekele said.
While the police said they were on the trail of the other
accomplices, Ayuba and Igbekele were brought before
an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on six counts
bordering on stealing and receiving stolen property.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant Donjor Perezi, told the
court that the offences were punishable under sections
98, 285 (10), 326 (a) (b) and 409 of the Criminal Law of
Lagos State, 2011.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the
charges before the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.A.
Olayinka, and were admitted to bail in the sum of
N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
[PunchMetro]