The Lokoja Vigilante Group has arrested a 27-year-old man, Hassan Abdul, suspected of being involved in a motorcycle theft syndicate operating in Lokoja and nearby areas.
Abdul was apprehended on Friday evening in the former Nassara Cinema area of Lokoja, following the theft of a motorcycle the previous day.
According to The PUNCH, the commander of the Vigilante Group,Chief Hassan Yusuf disclosed that Abdul was caught after stealing a motorcycle at GSM Village in Cantonment, Lokoja, on Thursday evening.
“During questioning, the suspect admitted to using a special key to steal motorcycles. He also confessed to being involved in this criminal activity for three years,” Yusuf stated.
Investigations revealed that Abdul had stolen more than 10 motorcycles in the last three months, selling them for approximately N150,000 each.
Yusuf explained that Abdul and his syndicate typically operate between Ayinbga and Lokoja, where stolen motorcycles are dismantled before being transported to Ayinbga for sale.
“This arrest is a testament to the effective collaboration between our group, other security agencies, and journalists who provided timely information,” Yusuf added.
The Chairman of the Kogi State chapter of the Association of Phone Technicians and Accessories Dealers, Comrade Salihu Abubakar, whose association has been affected by multiple thefts, called for the suspect’s prosecution.
“We’ve suffered numerous motorcycle thefts, many of them belonging to our customers,” Abubakar said.
