Four men facing a charge of car theft have confessed to stealing a vehicle valued at N5 million in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, and selling it for N800,000.

 

The men who were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 2, Yola, pleaded guilty to the charge of ‘criminal conspiracy, theft, abetment, dishonesty, and receiving of stolen property’.

 

The four defendants include Yusuf Mohammed Isah, 25; Mohammed Gidado, 33; Babangida Jalo, 43; and Adamu Yahaya, 31.

 

The four men have been remanded at a correctional centre in Yola while a fifth person said to have also been implicated, Faisal Mahmud, 30, could not be arraigned because he was said to be ill.

 

A sixth person mentioned as being part of the car thieving ring, Abubakar Manu, was said to be on the run at the time of arraignment.

 

The defendants on hand who were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Musa Adamu, are now to return to court at the next sitting in the case on February 6.

 

The police officer prosecuting the case, ASP Iliya Akawu, told the court that Yusuf Isah of Wura Hausa Ward Yola South LGA connived with Abubakar Manu (now at large) and Mohammed Gidado of Ibadan Street, Alkalawa Ward in Yola North LGA, to steal the vehicle – a Toyota RAV 4 2007 model with Reg. Number RSH 548 BB ABJ.

 

Iliya narrated in the first information report, FIR, which he tendered that the defendants stole the car valued at N5 million and belonging to Aliyu Umar of Wuro Hausa ward in Yola South LGA, on the 18th December, 2024;

 

According to the prosecutor, Yusuf Isah sneaked into the house of the owner of the vehicle, stole the car key, and made one of his accomplices, Abubakar Manu, to drive the car to Babangida Jalo of Ganye Street in Yola North LGA.

 

The police officer said Babangida who had a pre-knowledge of the crime, made an arrangement with a buyer, Faisal Mahmud of Kolere Ward in Mubi North LGA to buy the stolen property.

 

He furher narrated that Faisal Mahmud bought the car at N800,000 on getting to Yola from Mubi and paid N400,000 into the account of the yet-to-be-arrested Abubakar Manu as part payment.

 

He added that Faisal Mahmud gave Mohammed Gidado and Babangida Jalo N100,000 for their respective roles in the crime and left for Mubi with the car, where he was trailed and arrested.