A Lagos car dealer has accused the state police of releasing a suspect who allegedly drove away with a brand-new 2025 Toyota Tundra worth about ₦130 million from his showroom before crashing it into a canal, leaving the vehicle with an estimated ₦40 million in repair costs.
Chima Edmund, founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lekki, said the incident occurred on Monday, October 12, 2026, after a man visited the dealership, reportedly posing as a prospective buyer.
According to Edmund, the suspect arrived at about 4 p.m. carrying a bag and requested the key to the expensive pickup truck, claiming he wanted to inspect its engine.
Edmund said dealership staff initially believed the man was a genuine customer and allowed him to check the vehicle. However, the suspect allegedly started the engine, engaged the gear and drove away.
“He dropped his bag inside it, and the staff watched him start the engine, thinking he only wanted to check it. But the man engaged the gear and drove off,” Edmund recounted.
The suspect reportedly sped towards the VGC Bridge, broke through a security barricade and continued through parts of Lekki and Ajah as the pursuit unfolded.
The chase allegedly ended in Ajiran, where the driver reached a dead end and drove the pickup truck into a canal. Local youths reportedly rescued him from the water.
Videos showing the incident and the partially submerged vehicle subsequently circulated on social media, attracting attention to the unusual theft allegation.
Edmund said the incident had left him facing substantial financial losses, including an estimated ₦40 million in repairs to the damaged Toyota Tundra. He also said he had incurred expenses relating to the destroyed security barricade, medical treatment for injured people and the suspect’s initial medical bills.
The dealer alleged that the matter was transferred from the Ajah Police Division to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti, Yaba, for further investigation.
However, Edmund said he became concerned after investigators reportedly established that the suspect had a psychiatric condition. He alleged that he was pressured to withdraw his complaint and later discovered that the suspect had been released on bail.
“I am already suspecting foul play,” Edmund said, expressing frustration over the financial burden he believes he has been left to bear.
He questioned how he would recover his losses, given the reported cost of repairing the vehicle and addressing the other damage arising from the incident.
The Lagos State Police Command, however, denied any wrongdoing in its handling of the case.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the suspect had been certified as a psychiatric patient by recognised government hospitals and competent courts.
According to Adebisi, the dealer submitted a letter withdrawing his complaint, after which the suspect was handed over to his mother for rehabilitation.
“This prompted him (the dealer) to submit a withdrawal letter, whereupon the suspect was handed over to his mother for rehabilitation,” the police spokesperson stated.
The police account differs from the dealer’s allegation that he was pressured to withdraw his complaint. While Edmund maintains that he has been left with significant losses, the command says the suspect’s release followed the withdrawal of the complaint and the reported medical findings.
The incident has raised questions about the handling of criminal complaints involving suspects with reported mental health conditions, as well as the financial implications for businesses whose property is damaged during alleged criminal acts.
The circumstances surrounding the complaint’s withdrawal, the terms of the suspect’s release and any potential avenues for recovering the dealer’s losses were not fully established in the available account.
