A Lagos car dealer, Chima Edmund, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of releasing a suspect who allegedly drove away with a ₦130 million Toyota Tundra from his showroom and crashed it into a canal, leaving him with an estimated ₦40 million repair bill.
Edmund, founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos, said the incident occurred on Monday at his dealership in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) area of Lekki, Lagos, when a man reportedly posed as a prospective buyer before driving away with the 2025 Toyota Tundra pickup.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro, the dealer explained that the man arrived at about 4 p.m. and requested the vehicle’s key, claiming he wanted to inspect its engine.
According to Edmund, a junior staff member allowed the prospective customer to start the vehicle but did not realise he intended to drive away with it.
The suspect allegedly sped out of the showroom, prompting a staff member to pursue him. During the escape, the vehicle reportedly passed through parts of Ajah and continued towards the Ajiran area, where it eventually ended up in a canal.
Edmund said the crash severely damaged the pickup and a barricade at the VGC entrance. He estimated the vehicle’s repair costs at approximately ₦40 million.
The car dealer said the matter was initially reported at the Ajah Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.
He alleged that he became concerned about recovering his losses after learning that the suspect had been released on bail.
Edmund also claimed that investigators pressured him to withdraw the complaint after the suspect was reportedly identified as having a psychiatric condition.
The dealer said he incurred additional expenses covering the suspect’s medical treatment and other related costs, as well as repairs to the damaged barricade and treatment for people reportedly injured during the incident.
Describing the experience as unprecedented in his nearly three decades in the automobile business, Edmund appealed for assistance in recovering his financial losses.
The Lagos State Police Command, however, denied that the suspect was improperly released.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, told PUNCH Metro that the suspect had been certified as a psychiatric patient by recognised government hospitals and competent courts.
She said Edmund was aware of the information during the investigation and subsequently submitted a letter withdrawing his complaint.
According to the police spokesperson, the suspect was then handed over to his mother for rehabilitation.
However, PUNCH Metro reported that it could not independently verify the police account because the spokesperson did not provide documents requested to substantiate the alleged medical certification and withdrawal of the complaint.
The competing accounts leave questions about the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release and the recovery of the dealer’s losses unresolved.
The incident has drawn attention to the risks faced by automobile dealers during vehicle inspections and the importance of clear procedures for handling suspected property crimes. Edmund’s allegations against the police remain disputed by the command.