A 47-year-old single mother, Mrs. Grace Osika, has raised alarm over what she described as an orchestrated attempt to dispossess her of a legally acquired vehicle through alleged police manipulation and intimidation by a well-connected individual.
Mrs. Osika, who purchased a Nigerian-used Toyota RAV4 in 2023 from a seller identified simply as Sammy, told journalists in Lagos on Monday that all necessary documentation—including customs clearance and ownership history—had been thoroughly verified at the time of purchase.
Trouble reportedly began in April 2025, when she sold the vehicle to a man identified as Alhaji. Just a week later, Alhaji contacted her, claiming that a man named Mr. Chinedu Ejiofor had come forward, alleging the car was stolen and originally belonged to him.
The matter was initially reported to the Ikotun Police Station in Lagos, but Osika said things quickly took a suspicious turn.
“At the station, it was obvious something wasn’t right,” she recounted. “The man claiming ownership didn’t have a single document—not a police report, not an affidavit, not even a photograph of the car. His only proof was that he recognized a stain in the boot.”
Alarmed by the seeming bias, Mrs. Osika filed a formal petition, prompting the case to be transferred to the Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos, where all parties were invited for further investigation.
“At Zone 2, I presented every document proving the car’s legitimate history. We traced ownership back to 2015, and I personally contacted previous owners. One used the vehicle from 2015 to 2018, another from 2018 to 2023, before I bought it. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) matched all records,” she explained.
In stark contrast, she said, the claimant alleged he imported and registered the car in 2023—yet presented no import papers or supporting documents. According to Osika, he claimed his version had leather seats, while the disputed car clearly had fabric interiors.
She now fears the case is being manipulated after receiving calls suggesting it might be transferred to Anambra State, where the claimant allegedly wields significant influence.
“This is clearly an attempt to rob me of my property,” she said, visibly emotional. “At Zone 2, he even boasted in front of officers that he ‘feeds the police in Anambra’ and would do whatever it takes to get the car back—even if it means taking the law into his own hands.”
Osika described the ordeal as a campaign of intimidation, expressing frustration that those with power and connections seem able to bypass due process, while ordinary citizens are left vulnerable.
“All I ask is justice. I followed the law. I did everything right. Why should I be punished for someone else’s influence?”
Source: Vanguard