Police bust Lagos syndicate over N20bn goods diversion

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested six suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in the diversion of imported goods worth more than N20bn over the past 19 years.

The suspects, identified as Lateef Jamiu, Abubakar Amadu, Aliu Olanshile, Opeyemi Oyewale, Hassana Malami and Hassana Haruna, were arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit following complaints by importers over missing consignments.

A police source told Saturday PUNCH on Friday that two of the suspects, Jamiu and Amadu were leaders of one of the two most organised goods diversion syndicates operating in the country.

The source said the two men, who allegedly own several trailers used for their operations, had been arrested and prosecuted for similar offences in the past and were released from prison earlier this year.

According to the source, the suspects had also acquired properties and investments in Niger Republic, the Republic of Benin and other locations.

The source said, “This group is one of the two most organised goods-diverting gangs in Nigeria. The other gang operates and is based in Kaduna. They target multi-million and billion-naira worth of goods.

“Most of the members have been arrested many times in the past, and because it is a bailable offence, they returned to the crime once they were released from prison.

“About four members of this syndicate, including the two leaders, Abubakar and Jamiu, were released from prison in February this year, while their drivers were released about two months later.”

The source, who preferred anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the matter, explained that the syndicate members usually loitered around the Lagos ports, looking for importers in need of trucks to transport their consignments to other parts of the country.

“What they do is hang around the ports in Lagos and search for people in need of transportation for their imported goods to be moved to the North, East and other parts of Nigeria.

“They also join WhatsApp platforms of different transporters and transportation companies at the port, where transportation needs are advertised.

“Once they get the offer, they disappear with the goods and erase every trace that could lead to their whereabouts by changing their phones and SIM cards,” the source disclosed.

The source further stated that 11 phones and eight SIM cards were recovered from Amadu when he was arrested, adding that he had previously been arrested in 2023 with 49 phones and 188 SIM cards.

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The source said the syndicate was allegedly responsible for the diversion of goods worth over N20bn since the group began operating about 19 years ago.

In their latest operation, the suspects allegedly diverted forklifts, fabrics, imported plates and other goods worth about N3bn.

The source said the suspects offered an importer their truck to transport the goods from Lagos to Kano at an agreed cost but diverted the consignment to Ojota, Lagos, where it was allegedly offloaded and sold to their receivers.

One of the alleged leaders, Jamiu, reportedly confessed to the police, saying, “It is true that we agreed to help the importer move the goods from the port in Lagos to Kano. We negotiated and loaded the goods at the port, but instead of going to Kano, we diverted to a place in Ojota, where we offloaded them and sold them to our receivers.”

Jamiu, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, whose wife and children reportedly reside abroad, also confessed that he shuttled between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, where he claimed to have investments.

Amadu, 45, had told police interrogators that he had been diverting goods with Jamiu for about 19 years after they met while working as truck drivers for their former employers.

He also confessed he had investments in Niger Republic, where he allegedly fled after successful diversion operations in Nigeria.

The source said the police team investigating the latest diversion traced some of the diverted fabrics to a market in Agege, Lagos, where they were identified by the importer.

Further investigation led to the arrest of the alleged receivers of the goods, the truck drivers and the two suspected leaders.

The suspects had allegedly told the importer that their truck broke down in Mokwa, Niger State, and collected money from him purportedly to repair it.

Confirming the arrests, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, described the operation as a big achievement by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

Adebisi said the investigation was ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate and recover some of the goods allegedly diverted during their previous operations.

“The arrests were in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to officers across the country to intensify the fight against criminals involved in economic sabotage,” she added.