The Abia State Police Command says it has launched a manhunt for a Toyota Corolla belonging to a Chief Magistrate in Umuahia after the vehicle was reportedly stolen outside a court premises in the state capital.
The incident has prompted an appeal to the public for useful information that could assist in recovering the vehicle.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the case had been reported to the police, and that investigation was ongoing to recover the vehicle and apprehend those responsible.
“The above was reported, and investigation is ongoing,” she said.
The police spokesperson assured members of the public that the command was treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves and urged anyone with useful information to assist the investigation.
Narrating the incident, the owner of the vehicle, Chief Magistrate Mrs Ngozi Pearl Lekwa of Court 2, Umuahia, said she parked the black Toyota Corolla outside the court premises along Finbarrs Road at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday before proceeding to her office for official duties.
According to Mrs Lekwa, she had intended to be brief and leave the office later in the day to attend to personal errands.
“However, upon stepping out of the court premises shortly after noon, I discovered that the vehicle was no longer where I parked it,” she said.
She said a friend later informed her that she had seen the vehicle being driven at high speed after exiting the vicinity of Market Square.
The witness reportedly noticed a man behind the wheel but did not see Mrs Lekwa in the vehicle.
The friend was said to have initially assumed the driver had been sent on an errand by the owner and therefore did not raise an alarm, although she found the speed at which the vehicle was being driven unusual.
Mrs Lekwa stated that she had not authorised anyone to use the vehicle and still had the car key in her possession at the time she discovered the theft.
The magistrate said she had, a day earlier, ordered steering locks for her two vehicles as an additional security measure.
According to her, only one steering lock was delivered, while the second intended for her vehicle had not yet arrived before the incident occurred.
The stolen vehicle is a black Toyota Corolla, 2008 model, commonly referred to as a “bank car”.
Mrs Lekwa said the matter had been formally reported to the police for action.
She also appealed to the public to remain vigilant and report any sighting of the vehicle, as well as provide information that could assist security agencies in tracking down the suspects.
