Police arrest 3 suspects over diversion of N23m milk

By Chioma Joseph, Lagos 

Policemen from the Lagos state Command have arrested three suspects for hijacking and diverting a truck-load of powdered milk worth N23 million.

The suspects, Adesoji Olarewaju, 43; Sunday Ejirille, 52 and James Oja, 45, were tracked to Abia state where they were arrested and the goods recovered.

It was gathered that the driver of the truck, James Oja, had been employed by a logistics company to transport the 30 tons of powdered milk from Lagos to Abuja.

Oja had however, connived with Olarewaju and Ejirille to divert the truck to an unknown destination.

State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu received a petition about the matter on May 13 and immediately, ordered a team of policemen to investigate the matter, who subsequently, traced the suspects to Abia state where the truck and goods were recovered.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday, Muazu said that “the notorious criminals who specialized in diverting and stealing company goods were arrested in Abia state and the goods recovered.”

Ejirille, who was alleged to be the brain behind the diversion, denied being part of the criminal act, claiming he had only gone to collect his money for the supply of tyres he sold to the other suspects. 

“I sold some tyres to Emeka and he called me to come and collect the money for the tyres; that was when I was arrested by the police. I was not aware they were carrying stolen goods; I only sold tyres to them. I didn’t know anything about the stolen milk, I only sell tyres,” he said.

Countering Ejirille’s confession, Oja however, said that Ejirille was aware of the stolen goods and that it was the same Ejirille that invited him to where he was arrested.

Oja said “I was at home, when I got a call from Ejirille that I should help them get people to buy the goods. He was aware that the goods were stolen. I was not part of the diversion.”

Muazu said, that the suspects would be charged to court after completion of investigation.