A 24yrs old driver Abass Ope accused of stealing his ex-boss’ car, Television (TV) sets and a pet dog, has confessed that Christmas needs of his siblings pushed him into the stealing.
He was arrested at Ojuelegba by the Decoy Team of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Boxing Day.
He was picked up by the police while trying to sell off his ex-boss’s Toyota Avensis 2013 model with marked AGL 734 AR for N2million.
Arrested along with him were three of his friends, Balogun Oluwaseun, 23, Sanni Azeez, 23 and Stephen Ewiele, 22.
Ope had during Christmas period stormed his ex-boss Magodo home while he and his family were holidaying in Delta State, with a conspirator to move a 100 inches LCD TV, another 42 inches LCD TV, a dog, a suitcase, two DSTV decoders and a Toyota Avensis, from the home.
The suspect went to the house after learning that he ex-boss had travelled and that the gatekeeper had also gone to church.
Te suspect, it was learnt, was aware of where the man usually kept keys to his rooms.
It was revealed that his ex–boss, Ifoghale Ekinodo on getting report of missing vehicle and property called the suspect on more than two occasions to intimate him of the development but he denied knowledge of the incidence.
Ekinodo had to cut short his holiday in Delta with his family to report the incident at Magodo Police Station.
An RRS official later called him to notify him of the recovery of his vehicle.
RRS quoted Abass as saying: “I took the car because I had no money to take care of myself and younger ones. They had no clothes, no shoes and this is Yuletide season. They looked up to me to take care of these expenses.
“It was about three months now that I left Mr Ekinodo. I had worked for him for four years before leaving him in August. I left because he had a little challenge and things were pretty tough for him. I left so that he could have himself sorted out.
“He was a very nice boss to work with. He enrolled me into university but I couldn’t continue the education when I left him. While he had this challenge, he owed me eight months salary; this prompted me to take his property and the vehicle.
“The auto dealer wanted to pay N2 million for the car but I insisted on N4 Million because I know it is worth more than that. He offered me N1million instantly and that the balance would be ready in about few minutes time, but I decided to ignore the offer hoping that the dealer would call me back for a re-negotiation.
“I went back to Ojuelegba few hours later in company of three of my friends, that was when RRS operatives arrested us.”
Ekinodo said: “I am in shock. This is a guy I treated like a son. Apart from my wife, he was the closest person to me. This is a guy that did my shopping for me. Even, before I buy anything for myself, I bought for him first.
How can I owe him eight-month salary when he never worked for me in those periods? Did he inform me that I owed him? He was never in my house in the periods he claimed. I called him more than twice when I got the report of the break in. He told me he knew nothing about it. If he had told me he needed money, I would have given him because we were still very close despite the fact that he was no longer working for me.”
Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, said the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba, for further investigation.
