A Lagos car dealer, Chima Edmund, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of releasing a suspect who allegedly stole and crashed a 2025 Toyota Tundra pickup worth about N130 million. Edmund claimed the incident left him with an estimated N40 million repair bill.
Edmund, founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos, said the incident happened on Monday at his showroom in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lekki, Lagos State.
According to the dealer, the suspect arrived at the showroom around 4pm and pretended to be a prospective buyer. He asked to inspect the pickup and requested its key to check the engine.
Edmund said his junior staff member handed him the key without suspecting any wrongdoing. However, the man allegedly started the engine, engaged the gear and drove away with the vehicle.
The dealer told PUNCH Metro that the suspect drove towards the VGC Bridge as his staff member pursued him. However, the staff member struggled to convince passers-by that the driver was not the vehicle’s owner.
Edmund alleged that the suspect drove through a residential estate in Ajah and damaged a barricade at its entrance. He then continued towards Chevron and Ebeano before heading to Ajiran.
The suspect reportedly lost his way in Ajiran and reached the end of a road. In an attempt to escape, he allegedly drove over a canal, causing the pickup to land in it. Some young men later rescued him from the vehicle.
The crash damaged the Toyota Tundra and a barricade at the VGC entrance. Edmund said he paid for the barricade repairs and covered medical expenses for people injured during the incident.
He also said he paid for the suspect’s medical treatment, feeding and other related expenses after the crash. According to him, the suspect was not kept in a cell because of the injuries he sustained.
The dealer said authorities initially handled the case at the Ajah Police Division. They later transferred it to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.
Edmund added that two women who identified themselves as the suspect’s mother and sister visited him at the facility. He said they claimed to be from Agbor, Delta State.However, the dealer expressed concern about recovering his expenses after learning that the suspect had been released on bail.
He maintained that the incident had caused significant financial losses and questioned the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release.
