Evans Olubamidele, an Abuja-based businessman, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), alleging misconduct and dereliction of duty against Boniface Okolo, a police officer attached to the Force Investigation Department (FID) in Abuja, over the handling of his stolen car.
Gatekeepers News reports that the petition, submitted to the IGP’s office on September 11, 2026, by Olubamidele’s lawyer, centres on the alleged recovery and subsequent release of a Toyota Corolla belonging to the businessman.
Olubamidele said he bought the vehicle in 2023 from a man identified as Ogunjobi, who subsequently relocated to Canada. He said Ogunjobi handed over the vehicle’s documents to him, after which he took steps to register the car in his name.
According to the businessman, he later handed the vehicle to Ani to use for ride-hailing services under an agreement that Ani would remit an agreed amount to him monthly.
Olubamidele said Ani made the agreed payments for only three months before allegedly selling the car and fleeing to Ghana.
He subsequently reported the matter at Apo Police Station.
Following the report, police arrested Ani’s wife over alleged connivance with her husband in the sale of the vehicle.
Olubamidele said Ani’s wife later contacted him by phone and allegedly confessed that her husband had sold the car to a dealer in the Nyanya area of Abuja.
The case, however, stalled for some time due to the police’s inability to apprehend Ani.
In 2025, Olubamidele said he discovered that a person identified as Nora Basil had allegedly renewed the vehicle’s documents using forged papers.
“This development naturally raised serious questions as to how Mr. Basil came into possession of the vehicle and the basis upon which he purported to deal with the vehicle and its documentation,” the petition reads.
Following the discovery, Olubamidele petitioned the Force Investigation Department in Abuja, where the case was assigned to Okolo.
Car recovered
Olubamidele said the investigation later led to the discovery of the vehicle in the possession of a person using it for ride-hailing services in Abuja.
According to the businessman, the driver was arrested and told the police that he had obtained the vehicle from Basil under a hire-purchase arrangement.
The driver was subsequently asked to lead Olubamidele and the investigating police officer to Basil’s dealership in Nyanya.
“The said driver subsequently led our Client and the IPO to the location of Mr. Basil’s motor dealership/car stand at Nyanya,” the petition reads.
Olubamidele said he and Okolo met Basil at the dealership, but alleged that Basil escaped before he could be arrested and questioned about his possession of the vehicle.
“However, rather than arresting and investigating Mr. Basil concerning his possession of the vehicle and the circumstances under which he acquired it, Mr. Basil managed to escape from the scene. No meaningful arrest or investigation of Mr. Basil was, to our Client’s knowledge, subsequently carried out.”
The businessman said the vehicle was eventually recovered and taken to the FID office.
He alleged that Okolo told him the car had been recovered in December 2025 and asked him to return in January 2026 to collect it after the investigation was concluded.
‘Car was released to Basil’
Olubamidele said he began contacting Okolo in January 2026 to secure the release of the vehicle but alleged that the officer eventually stopped responding to his calls and those of his friend.
He said a police officer later facilitated a meeting between him and Okolo at the FID office in August 2026.
According to the businessman, Okolo informed him during the meeting that the vehicle had been returned to Basil following a petition against him.
Olubamidele further alleged that Okolo said a signal had been received directing that the vehicle be released to Basil.
The businessman said Okolo did not provide him with copies of either the petition or the alleged signal.
“Our Client immediately demanded to know the basis upon which a vehicle recovered in connection with his complaint, and in respect of which he had produced the relevant purchase and vehicle documents, could be released to Mr. Basil without his consent or participation, but Mr. Okolo could not come up with any tenable explanation,” the petition reads.
Olubamidele said he had yet to recover the vehicle or receive an explanation regarding its whereabouts, condition, legal status or the circumstances surrounding its alleged release.
Businessman demands investigation
In his petition, Olubamidele asked the IGP to order an independent investigation into Okolo’s conduct and that of other individuals involved in the case.
He also requested an investigation into the alleged signal directing the release of the vehicle to Basil.
The businessman further urged the IGP to order the release of the car to him.
‘The car is still at FID office’
Before the petition was submitted, TheCable contacted Okolo for his response to the allegations.
The police officer denied the allegations, saying the vehicle remains parked at the FID office in Abuja.
Okolo explained that the car had not been released to Olubamidele because the investigation was still ongoing.
He added that he was investigating a syndicate allegedly specialising in car theft in Abuja.
When asked when the vehicle would be returned to the businessman, Okolo said he “cannot state the exact time at the moment.”
However, when asked whether the car would be returned before the end of the year, the police officer confirmed that it would.
