A Lagos car dealer, Chima Edmund, has raised the alarm over an alleged ₦40 million loss after a man suspected of attempting to steal a luxury pickup truck reportedly drove it away from his showroom and crashed it into a canal in the Ajiran area of Lagos.
Edmund, the founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos, accused the Lagos State Police Command of releasing the suspect on bail despite the extensive damage allegedly caused to the 2025 Toyota Tundra, valued at approximately ₦130 million.
However, the police have denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the suspect was certified as a psychiatric patient and that the dealer voluntarily withdrew his complaint.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Edmund said the incident occurred on Monday when the suspect arrived at his dealership in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) area of Lekki, Lagos, around 4pm.
According to the dealer, the man posed as a prospective buyer and requested the keys to the unsold 2025 Toyota Tundra pickup, reportedly claiming that he wanted to inspect its engine.
Edmund explained that a junior staff member attended to the man, who arrived carrying a bag and placed it inside the vehicle while examining the pickup.
The dealer alleged that the suspect started the engine before suddenly engaging the gear and driving away from the showroom.
He said the vehicle subsequently passed through several areas, including Ajah, Chevron and Ebeano, as the suspect attempted to escape.
According to Edmund, the suspect eventually reached the Ajiran area, where he reportedly lost his way and drove over a canal, causing the expensive pickup to land in the water.
Some residents allegedly rescued the man from the vehicle after the crash.
Edmund said the incident left the Toyota Tundra badly damaged, with preliminary estimates putting the repair bill at approximately ₦40 million.
He also claimed to have incurred additional expenses, including the cost of repairing a damaged barricade at the VGC entrance, treating people reportedly injured during the incident, and providing medical treatment and other necessities for the suspect.
The dealer said the suspect was not initially detained in a police cell because of the injuries he sustained in the crash.
According to him, the case was first reported at the Ajah Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti, Yaba.
Edmund added that two women who identified themselves as the suspect’s mother and sister later visited him during the investigation.
He said the women claimed to be from Agbor, Delta State.
The car dealer expressed concern after learning that the suspect had been released on bail, alleging that he was pressured to discontinue the case following the discovery of the man’s reported psychiatric condition.
Edmund said he was struggling to understand why he should bear the financial consequences of the incident alone, particularly after allegedly paying for several expenses arising from the crash.
He appealed for assistance in recovering from the losses, describing the incident as unprecedented in his nearly three decades in the automobile business.
According to the dealer, he has operated in different parts of Lagos, including Berger and FESTAC, since entering the industry in 1996, but had never experienced a similar incident.
He also rejected suggestions that the pickup had simply been left unattended with the suspect, insisting that proper test drives should involve at least two people accompanying prospective buyers.
On the absence of a tracking device, Edmund explained that the vehicle had not yet been sold. He said installing a tracker before a sale could involve interfering with the vehicle’s wiring system and potentially raise questions among prospective buyers.
The Lagos State Police Command, however, denied that the suspect was 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 informed of the development during the investigation and subsequently submitted a letter withdrawing the complaint.
She said the suspect was then handed over to his mother for rehabilitation.
However, PUNCH Metro reported that it could not independently verify the police spokesperson’s claims because the documents requested to substantiate the alleged medical certification and withdrawal of the complaint were not provided.
The conflicting accounts have left questions about the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release and the financial losses reportedly suffered by the dealer.
As of the report, the estimated ₦40 million repair bill remained a major concern for Edmund, who maintained that the incident had caused him substantial financial damage.
RapidoSpace News will continue to follow developments surrounding the allegations and the police response.
