Police arrest suspect in Abuja over fraudulent luxury car sale, recover $7,000

The Zone 7 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of a suspect implicated in the alleged fraudulent sale of a luxury vehicle that was found to be defective.

The police also successfully recovered $7,000 from the suspect.

ASP Halima Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer for Zone 7, disclosed this in a press release issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement detailed that the arrest followed a petition submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone on June 19.

The complaint originated from a fraudulent sales transaction reported at an Ilado Car Stand in the Lokogoma area of Abuja.

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The complainant had seen an online advertisement on June 10 for a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon priced at N32 million (equivalent to $20,000).

Upon contacting the seller and inspecting the vehicle, the complainant was allegedly assured that the only fault was a power steering issue, which would be fixed within a week.

Based on this assurance, a deposit of $7,000 was paid, with an understanding that the money would be refunded if the purchase did not proceed.

However, a subsequent inspection by a certified Mercedes-Benz mechanic revealed extensive electrical and mechanical defects beyond the initially stated problem.

When the complainant sought a refund, the suspect reportedly refused, insisting that no refund would be made unless the car was sold to another buyer, and also failed to provide a clear timeline for the refund, raising suspicions of fraud.

Following the petition, police detectives from Zone 7, led by CSP Akinlabi Ogundile, promptly investigated.

The suspect, upon invitation for questioning, confessed to the crime during the investigation, leading to the recovery of the $7,000.

Efforts are reportedly underway to apprehend a fleeing accomplice.