The University of Calabar (UNICAL) internal security team arrested a Professor’s son, identified only as Jerry, for allegedly stealing a Hilux engine worth two million naira.
The incident is said to have occurred on Saturday inside the UNICAL Staff Quarters, but the ‘Belgium’ engine was stolen from the mechanic workshop inside the staff quarters. The suspect was apprehended with two other accomplices, David and Paul.
Capt Augustine Bisong (rtd), the University’s Chief Security Officer, led the investigation that resulted in the arrest two weeks later. Bisong explained to journalists that the engine was purchased to replace a faulty one in a vehicle belonging to the school’s principal officer.
“The engine is reported to cost some two million naira. We had to mount surveillance immediately we got the information.”
According to him, the suspects stole and sold the engine, “From our investigation, we confirmed that the suspects stole the engine. We have identified the buyer and other accomplices who took the engine out from the University. “The buyer of the “tokunbo Toyota Hilux engine at Bogobri and the vehicle/driver’s used in moving the engine out from the University have been identified.”
The chief security officer alleged that those arrested had terrorised the University community. He said they had been stealing car batteries, armoured cables and vandalizing street lights. He said they will hand them over to the police for prosecution.
David, one of the suspects, disclosed that he is from Benue State but resides in the University staff Quarters with his mother. He confessed that they sold the engine at Bogobiri community in Calabar for N30,000 only.
“We took the engine to Bogobiri where we sold it for N30,000 because we thought it was scrap metal, I am sorry because I will never get involved in such again, ” he said.