A Lagos car dealer, Chima Edmund, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of releasing a man suspected of stealing a 2025 Toyota Tundra worth about ₦130m from his showroom after the vehicle crashed into a canal during an alleged escape attempt.
Edmund, founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos, said the incident occurred on Monday at his dealership in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) area of Lekki, Lagos State. He estimated the cost of repairing the damaged pickup at about ₦40m.
The dealer made the allegations in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, claiming that the suspect posed as a prospective buyer before driving away with the vehicle.
According to Edmund, the man arrived at his showroom around 4pm carrying a bag and requested the key to the unsold pickup, claiming he wanted to inspect its engine.
He said a junior staff member handed over the key while the man appeared to be checking the vehicle. However, the suspect allegedly engaged the gear and drove away.
Edmund explained that the vehicle left the dealership through an exit that required a supporting slab because of the difference in elevation between the car stand and the main road.
He added that the vehicle’s doors locked automatically after the suspect engaged the gear, forcing him to drive towards the VGC Bridge.
The dealer said his staff member pursued the pickup but struggled to convince passers-by that the driver was not its rightful owner.
According to Edmund, the suspect drove through a residential estate in Ajah, damaged a barricade at the entrance and continued towards Chevron and Ebeano before heading to Ajiran.
He said the suspect eventually reached a dead end in Ajiran and drove over a canal, causing the pickup to land in the water. Some residents reportedly pulled him out of the vehicle.
Dealer alleges pressure to withdraw case
Edmund said the incident damaged the Toyota Tundra and a barricade at the VGC entrance. He added that he paid for the barricade repairs, medical treatment for people injured during the incident and the suspect’s treatment following the crash.
He explained that the suspect was not initially detained in a cell because of the injuries he sustained.
The case was first reported at the Ajah Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti, Yaba.
Edmund said two women who identified themselves as the suspect’s mother and sister later visited him. He added that they claimed to be from Agbor, Delta State.
The dealer said he became concerned about recovering his expenses after learning that the suspect had been released on bail.
He also alleged that investigators pressured him to withdraw the complaint after the suspect was reportedly identified as having a psychiatric condition.
Edmund questioned the circumstances surrounding the release, expressing concern over the financial burden of repairing the damaged vehicle.
He appealed for assistance in recovering his losses, which he estimated at about ₦40m.
The dealer, who said he had been in the automobile business since 1996, described the incident as unprecedented in his nearly three decades in the industry.
He explained that he had operated in several parts of Lagos, including Berger and FESTAC, before relocating to VGC, adding that he had never experienced a similar incident.
Edmund also defended his staff against suggestions that the vehicle had been left unattended with the suspect, arguing that a proper test drive should involve at least two people accompanying a prospective buyer.
On why the pickup did not have a tracking device, he said it was a new vehicle that had not yet been sold. He explained that installing a tracker could require interference with the vehicle’s wiring system and raise questions among prospective buyers about its usage history.
Police defend suspect’s release
However, the Lagos State Police Command denied that the suspect had been improperly released.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the suspect had been certified as a psychiatric patient by recognised government hospitals and competent courts.
According to Adebisi, the dealer was aware of the information during the investigation and subsequently submitted a letter withdrawing the complaint.
She said the suspect was handed over to his mother for rehabilitation following the withdrawal.
However, PUNCH Metro reported that it could not independently verify the police spokesperson’s claims because she did not provide the documents requested to substantiate the alleged medical certification and withdrawal of the complaint.
The circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release and the dealer’s reported financial losses therefore remain disputed.
