The police in Ogun have arrested a 47-year-old hotelier, Paul Niwa, and Michael Odunayo for allegedly stealing a bus belonging to A&G Logistics Transport Company.

SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Ogun Police Command public relations officer, said this in a statement in Abeokuta on Sunday.

Mr Oyeyemi said the two suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Ewu-Oliwo Divisional Headquarters, Sagamu, on April 21, by the bus driver, Anifowose Kazeem.

He said Mr Kazeem told the police that the T4 Volkswagen bus with registration number AAB 22 XB developed a mechanical fault at Sagamu interchange at about 1:00 a.m.

“He said that he parked it by the roadside with the intention of coming with a mechanic in the morning to fix it.

“He said that surprisingly, when he got to the scene the following morning, the bus was no longer there, and all efforts to find it proved abortive,” the command spokesperson said.

Mr Oyeyemi said acting on the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Ewu-Oliwo division, Toyosi Bello, detailed detectives to unravel those behind the vehicle’s disappearance.

He said that based on technical and intelligence investigation, they traced the missing vehicle to the compound of A and Z Hotel at Elediye village, Sagamu, where the vehicle had been balkanised to be sold in parts.

The police spokesperson said the owner of the hotel, Mr Niwa, was arrested, and subsequent investigation led to the apprehending of the second suspect.

According to him, during interrogation, Mr Odunayo confessed that he connived with Eri Adeyemi, now at large, to tow the vehicle to the hotel at about 2:00 a.m. and sold it to Mr Niwa.

He said Mr Odunayo alleged that Mr Niwa, a regular buyer of stolen vehicles, bought the bus at N300,000.

Mr Oyeyemi alleged that preliminary investigation showed that Mr Niwa was a serial receiver of stolen vehicles, which he usually dismantled and sold as motor parts.

The spokesperson said the Acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Babakura Muhammed, had ordered the transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

He also directed that the remaining gang member, Eri Adeyemi, be traced and arrested.

(NAN)