A Lagos automobile dealer, Chima Edmund, has raised concerns over the handling of a case involving a man accused of driving away a 2025 Toyota Tundra pickup valued at about ₦130 million from his showroom in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) area of Lekki, Lagos State.

Edmund, founder of Mayor and Sheiks Autos, alleged that the Lagos State Police Command released the suspect after the incident, which reportedly ended with the vehicle crashing into a canal in the Ajiran area. The dealer estimates the cost of repairing the damaged pickup at approximately ₦40 million.

According to Edmund, the incident occurred on Monday, October 12, when the man reportedly visited the dealership around 4pm and presented himself as a prospective buyer. He said a staff member allowed the visitor to inspect the vehicle, but the man allegedly started the engine and drove away without authorisation.

The dealer claimed that the suspect drove through parts of the Lekki-Ajah axis before reaching Ajiran, where the pickup reportedly ended up in a canal. Edmund said the incident also resulted in damage to a barricade and additional expenses, including medical treatment for people injured during the incident and the suspect’s treatment after the crash.

The case was initially reported at the Ajah Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti, Yaba, according to Edmund. He alleged that he came under pressure to withdraw the complaint after investigators raised the issue of the suspect’s mental health.

However, the police denied mishandling the matter. Lagos State Police Command spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi said the suspect had been certified as a psychiatric patient by recognised government hospitals and competent courts. She further claimed that Edmund submitted a letter withdrawing the complaint, after which the suspect was handed over to his mother for rehabilitation.

The police spokesperson’s account could not be independently verified by the newspaper that reported the interview, which said the requested documents supporting the alleged medical certification and withdrawal of the complaint were not provided. Edmund, meanwhile, maintains that he is facing substantial financial losses and has appealed for assistance. The circumstances surrounding the case and the basis for the suspect’s release remain matters requiring further documentary clarification.