ACCOUNT OF FRESH FROM JAIL, DISMISSED SOLDIER: HOW CO-INMATE TAUGHT ME TO WEAR ARMY UNIFORM TO FRONT STOLEN CAR DEALS

David, aged 48, was arrested alongside Afolabi, also a dismissed Army Corporal.

He allegedly falsely paraded himself as an Army Captain, while he and Afolabi were said to have specialised in dispossessing unsuspecting members of the public of their vehicles, thereby instilling fear and disrupting public peace within the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, who confirmed the suspects’ arrest in a statement, said the dismissed soldiers were apprehended by the command’s monitoring unit for alleged armed robbery.

Recovered from them were two black Toyota Camry cars with registration number KRD 253 KC; one metallic Toyota Corolla with registration number JTA 938 AA; one silver Lexus RX 350, unregistered; and one black Super Cargo motorcycle with registration number YRE 487 VD.

Saturday Tribune recalls that David was among the 79 inmates released from Agodi Custodial Centre on November 5, 2025, by the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima, who was represented by Justice Ladiran Akintola.

While speaking, Justice Akintola said that the Chief Judge’s responsibilities include supervising correctional centres to review deserving cases, ensuring that facilities are not congested beyond reasonable limits.

Among the inmates released were those awaiting trial for bailable, non-capital offences who had been in custody for more than four months, a category under which David fell.

Saturday Tribune also recalls how Justice Akintola admonished the released inmates that the discomforts and strains they had experienced within the four walls of the correctional centre should be enough to correct their rascality. He encouraged them to live within their means and look up to their Maker, who created them for a purpose.

Justice Akintola told the freed inmates: “I want to charge you today to turn a new leaf. Don’t go back to the ways of crime. Each of you has been endowed with peculiar talents. All you need to do is discover those strengths and build on them. There is nothing to gain from crime. Make up your mind not to take the mercy you obtained today for granted.”

However, less than two months later, David was arrested again for alleged car theft.

In his confession, David explained how he became involved with a prison inmate, whom he identified as Omisore. He said Omisore linked him with someone he described as his brother, Matthew, after which he was instructed to accompany the brother to sell a car while posing as a serving Army officer.

David, who also disclosed what led to his dismissal from the Nigerian Army in 2023, said: “I’m not an armed robber. I have not robbed before. I married an Ibadan indigene who has six children for me. When some of us who were dismissed went to Berekete to seek help, I met a man who sympathised with me. He gave me N480,000.”

“In 2024, when I came to Ibadan, I bought a 1999 model Honda Accord for N900,000, not knowing it was stolen. The person who sold the car to me was arrested by the monitoring unit, and when he mentioned that I was the one he sold it to, I was also apprehended. The car was recovered from me. I was charged to court as a receiver of stolen property. I was granted bail but had no one to come to my aid, so I was remanded at Agodi Custodial Centre. I met some inmates in the custodial centre who had been there for a long time. They knew I was a dismissed soldier and helped to feed me.”

“In November 2025, I was released after I found favour with the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima, when she visited the custodial centre to decongest it. I was remanded because I could not fulfill my bail conditions, and my case was not severe, so I was released. As I was leaving the custodial centre, one of the inmates, Omisore, asked for my phone number so they could call me, and I gave it to him. He later called and asked, ‘How are you going to start all over again? What about your wife and children, whose whereabouts you don’t know?’ He told me that one of his brothers, Matthew, would come to me from Akute-Ajuwon in Ogun State and that I should act like a serving soldier to assist him in selling the car he was bringing, so that he would not be cheated. He also said the brother would visit him in prison.”

“When the brother arrived, Omisore called and asked where I was. I told him I was at Ojoo, where I was sleeping at Mammy Market. He asked me to come down to Agodi to see his brother. I rushed there and arrived as visitation time was about ending. Omisore introduced me to his brother, who had brought a vehicle, a Toyota Camry (Spider), which he said he wanted to sell.”

“After we left the prison gate and walked to where he had parked near the spare parts market, some people approached us to ask if we needed repairs for the car. Matthew told them he wanted to sell it. A man came forward and said he had been looking for such a car to buy for someone. He took us to an area in Ibadan where cars are sold, and they agreed on N7 million as the purchase price. Earlier, Omisore had told me that after selling the car, I should get a cheaper one to use for Uber so I could assist him financially. We asked the dealer, and he said he had a 1999 Toyota Corolla for sale at N3.2 million. It was a swap deal, and he gave the balance of the money to Omisore’s brother.”

“I registered the vehicle and started using it for commercial purposes. However, it caught fire while I was on a journey. I spoke with Omisore about it and he understood. He pleaded with me to find a way to get something for him to feed on. I took the fire-damaged car to Oke Ado and the dealer offered N2.4 million. I did not give the money to Omisore or buy another car. I told him I had borrowed it.”

On what led to his recent arrest, David explained: “In early December, a dismissed corporal, Afolabi, whom I knew, called and told me he needed financial assistance. I replied that I didn’t have money but was waiting for someone who owed me a certain amount. Afolabi and I went to a bar at Ring Road to wait for the debtor. I was wearing Army camouflage shorts. When the debtor did not arrive, Afolabi asked that we leave. As we crossed the road, I was brushed by a Lexus SUV 350, which made me jump over the culvert in fright. I was angry with the owner, as one of the occupants bragged that they were Yahoo boys and would treat me medically if I was injured. I took the car keys and told them I would take them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office, which made the owner jump out of the vehicle when we slowed down. His three friends, who were also in the vehicle, begged me not to take them to the EFCC office, saying they would not be spared.”

“I told them to get down and gave them my phone number for contact. I then went to drop Afolabi at his residential area with the vehicle.”

“Later, during our chats, Afolabi and I discussed the car and he suggested that we should sell it to make money for the December celebration. The vehicle was with me for two weeks, during which I parked it at Mammy Market. I agreed with Afolabi and told him I would take the vehicle to Oke Ado for sale.”

How I Was Arrested

“The police arrested an armed robbery suspect whom Omisore had asked to call me, not knowing that the suspect was already in police custody. The armed robbery suspect had just left Agodi Custodial Centre, and Omisore gave him my number to contact me regarding the sale of a vehicle. A day before my arrest, I went to Oke Ado to negotiate the price of the Lexus SUV and was paid N8 million for it. The owner of the vehicle I sold called me after my arrest. I was supposed to sign an agreement document two days after the sale but was arrested a day before. The sale of the Lexus SUV was exposed to the police when I received a call from the car dealer I sold it to. I was taken to the car stand and the owner was contacted.”

However, the second suspect, Afolabi, denied suggesting to David that the Lexus SUV should be sold.

Afolabi, aged 43, from Epe Waterside in Lagos State, disclosed that he was enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 2010 but was dismissed in September 2019.

Narrating what led to his dismissal, Afolabi said: “I was deployed to a checkpoint at Gwagwalada. During that period, our salaries were paid. The Guard Commander usually permitted two officers to go to the bank to carry out transactions. When it was my turn, the officer-in-charge of the military police passed by. I had left the duty location at that time. The O/C MP noticed that soldiers on guard were extorting motorists and motorcyclists. The O/C MP called the Guard Commander and every officer there was withdrawn. There was no consideration for those of us who had been given permission. I was dismissed on the basis of failure to perform duty and absence from duty.”

Continuing, Afolabi said: “After the dismissal, I stayed with my brother in Abuja until February 2020. I then moved to Ibadan, and my parents helped me put some money together, which I used to start selling used clothes (akube). After about a year, the shop I had was destroyed by fire, which caused me a setback. I had nothing tangible to fall back on. I was just living off stipends given to me. My family did not have much. Because of my health condition, as I had gunshot wounds on my chest, I couldn’t do much.”

How I Knew David

“David and I got to know each other when I returned to Ibadan from Abuja after my dismissal from service was finalised. There was a Captain whose car I used to wash and whose clothes I dry-cleaned. At that time, David was undergoing court martial in Maiduguri. We later met in Ibadan and became friends. I used to call him whenever I was in financial need, and he would send me N5,000 or N10,000. When my shop was destroyed by fire, we lost contact. One day, I went to the gym and later to a beer parlour with my friends. We were there when David came in. We exchanged greetings and I collected his phone number again.”

“In December 2025, I called David, telling him about my sick mother and my need for money to add to what I had in order to buy her medications. He replied that he also had no money at that moment but asked me to call him back in the afternoon. I did, but he did not pick up. Later, when I called again, he said he would call me back as he was still expecting money to be sent to him. When he eventually called, he asked me to come to Iwo Road, but I didn’t even have money for transport fare. He told me to take a motorcycle, promising to pay on my arrival. After paying, he asked me to follow him to the person he wanted to collect money from.”

“On getting to Ring Road, we sat and relaxed with drinks until I noticed it was getting late. I told him I wanted to leave. He said he would send the money to me the following day if he could get it. Since I didn’t have money to return home, he said he would give me N1,500 for transport.”

“We were about to cross the road. In fact, I had crossed one side and he was behind me. As I tried to cross the second lane, I heard him shout. I looked back to see what had happened and was told that a vehicle had almost hit him. It was about 9 p.m. The driver, a young man, was reeking of alcohol. The next thing I saw was David slapping the driver while ordering all those in the car — three males and a female — to the back seat. He took over the steering wheel and asked me to sit beside him. They obeyed because he was wearing camouflage shorts, which made them believe he was an Army officer.”

“David threatened to take them to the EFCC office in Ibadan. The person who had been driving was so afraid, pleading and telling him that he had only recently been released from the anti-graft agency. I told David to let me go, but as he was cursing the car occupants, he was also doing the same to me. When the owner of the car realised that David was indeed heading towards the EFCC office, as soon as we got to a speed breaker and slowed down, he quickly opened the door and ran out. I told David to stop the car, and he did. It made no sense for me to run after the young man, and I told David I was no longer going with him. He then asked the remaining occupants to get down from the car and call him the following day.”

“David asked whether I had money to return home, which I didn’t. He asked me to get back in. I told him to drop me at my residential junction, saying I would get home by waving down a motorcyclist or walking. He dropped me at Iyana Church and drove away.”

“Two weeks later, I was apprehended by police operatives. I know nothing about the two other vehicles recovered from David.”

Saturday Tribune also recalls the story of Omisore mentioned by David, who was also arrested by the Monitoring Unit when he bought two vehicles stolen from slain retired Permanent Secretary, the late 69-year-old Ms Olaitan Gbenle. He told Tribune during an interview after his arrest that he and the suspected killers of the retired Permanent Secretary, who brought the cars to him in Lagos, agreed that he would pay N2.3 million for the two vehicles, which he said were worth N6.8 million as used cars. He stated that he had paid N800,000 out of the amount when he was arrested and the two vehicles were recovered from him by the police.

He also confessed to starting the purchase of stolen or snatched vehicles in 202.