By Esther Onyegbula

Detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba Lagos, have arrested three suspects in connection with the hijacking and diversion of milk products worth N 23 million.

Soy Milk

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The suspects were arrested in Abia State after a company reported the case of missing 30 tons of powdered milk.

It was gathered that Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, after receiving the petition on May 13 about the matter from the logistics company, ordered decoy teams to investigate the matter.

The suspects—Adesoji Olarewaju, Sunday Ejirille and James Oja— were tracked to Abia State where they were arrested and the goods recovered.

It was learned that James Oja, the truck driver, was employed by a logistics company to transport the powdered milk from Lagos to Abuja, but diverted it to an unknown destination.

The Police arrested them after one of the suspects, Olarewaju, confessed that members of the syndicate were aware that the products were stolen.

Meanwhile, the main suspect, Sunday Ejrille, denied being part of the diversion of the truck.

He said: “I sold some tyres to Emeka and he called me to come and collect the money. 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. He only deals in tyres.”

Oja, however, said Ejrille was aware of the stolen goods and that it was the same Ejrille that invited him to where he was arrested.

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