By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Two men have been arrested by the Anambra State Police Command over the alleged theft of a blue Toyota Camry belonging to a 90-year-old retired Professor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State.
The suspects, identified as Umeh Thankgod, 32, and Sunday Ozor, 24, were arrested on Wednesday evening, October 28, at the Old Spare Parts Market, Mgbuka, Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The operatives also recovered the stolen vehicle.
The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a press statement issued on Sunday, November 1, explaining that the arrest followed a distress alert from the operatives of the Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who detected irregularities while verifying the vehicle’s registration particulars in Awka.
According to the police spokesman, the FRSC personnel promptly alerted the police, leading operatives attached to the State Intelligence Department (SID) to move in and arrest the two suspects at the market, where the vehicle was also recovered.
Preliminary investigations, as disclosed in the statement, revealed that the Toyota Camry was reportedly stolen on September 29, 2026, from the residence of the 90-year-old retired professor in Enugu State.
The victim was subsequently contacted by the police and positively identified the recovered vehicle as his property.
In his account to the police, the elderly man reportedly disclosed that the vehicle was stolen from his compound with the alleged assistance of his gateman, identified as Bassey Etim, who is currently at large.
The police spokesman further stated that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing gateman and establish the full circumstances surrounding the theft, including the alleged roles played by the two arrested suspects.
Meanwhile, in his reaction, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, reportedly commended the FRSC personnel for their vigilance and prompt reporting, which led to the recovery of the vehicle and arrest of the suspects.
According to Ikenga, the Commissioner emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration, timely information sharing and coordinated responses among security and law enforcement agencies in preventing and detecting crime, recovering stolen property and ensuring public safety.
The Police Spokesman said the two suspects were currently in custody as investigations continued, while the Command was intensifying efforts to apprehend the fleeing gateman, according to the police statement.
