The Toyota Hilux van reportedly stolen during Juma’at prayers at a mosque in Abuja was not an official operational vehicle of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Rather, the stolen Toyota Hilux was a demobilised utility vehicle previously auctioned to a staff member, PRNigeria has gathered.
According to sources familiar with the development, the vehicle, an older model of the Toyota Hilux, was part of the administrative fleet of ONSA before it was formally retired and sold during an internal auction two years ago during the routine procedure for disposing of ageing government assets.
“It’s an old vehicle that was handed over to a staff member during an auction two years ago,” an administrative official at the ONSA complex disclosed under the condition of anonymity.
Recounting the incident, a military officer attached to ONSA explained that the staff member had parked the vehicle by the roadside in Abuja’s Central Area to join Friday congregational prayers.
Narrating how the vehicle was stolen, another source, a military officer attached to the ONSA, said the clerk went for a personal errand at the Abuja Central Area when he parked by the roadside and joined the Friday congregational prayers.
The officer said: “The staff left the office in the early afternoon.
“When he saw that prayers were about to begin, he parked by the roadside and joined the congregation.
“It was shocking that the vehicle was no longer there upon his return.”
Following the theft, the distressed staff member reported the matter to the nearest police station.
During this process, news of the incident leaked to the public.
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The source added: The news got out because he introduced himself as a staff of ONSA while filing the report and sought the police’s assistance in tracking the stolen vehicle.
“Someone at the station leaked the information to the press.”
Reacting to the media reports, the source expressed concern over what he described as a sensationalised portrayal of a routine case of car theft.
The source added: “The van in question is neither a sensitive asset nor operationally linked to the National Security Adviser.
“Car-jacking is, unfortunately, a common crime in cities across the world.
“This incident should not be blown out of proportion.”
Security analysts have also echoed similar sentiments, noting that while the theft raises concerns about urban crime, it should not be misconstrued as a breach of national security infrastructure.
. PRNigeria.
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