Taraba car dealer escapes police net, clears self over alleged stolen vehicle
By Nick Yashi, Jalingo
A Taraba based car dealer, Yallah Kadara, has cleared himself of any wrong doing after his experience in the hands of a car dealing syndicate which led to his arrest by the police over stolen vehicle.
Kadara and one other person were recently arrested by he Police anti-kidnapping squad in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital over an alleged stolen vehicle from Kano.
According to a statement from the Spokesman of the Nigeria Police, Taraba state Command, ASP James Lashen, the suspects were apprehended in Jalingo after a tip off from the Police in Kano where the vehicle was alleged to have been stolen.
The statement read: “On 28/08/2025 at about 1050hrs, an information was received from the Commander Anti-Kidnapping Squad Kano state, that a Toyota Hilux without plate number, white in color was stolen from the owner one Murtala Musa ‘m’ of NO 6 Dutse road Kano and headed towards Jalingo.
“Upon receipt of this information, operatives attached to Anti-Kidnapping Squad Taraba State, swung into action, intercepted the car along Dinyavo area Jalingo in the possession of one Yallah Kadara ‘m’ of Anguwan kasa and one Sa’ad Bello ‘m’ in connection with the case”.
But Kadara, who has since been released by the Police, condemned his arrest by the police and the allegations levelled against him.
Speaking with our reporter, Kadara described himself as “a legitimate businessman, well-known for my dealings in the buying and selling of vehicles of various kinds”.
He stated his position in the whole matter and refuted the allegations against him.
“I unequivocally condemn in the strongest possible terms the slanderous and baseless allegations that have recently been circulated with the intent of tarnishing my reputation and integrity. I am compelled to make this public statement in order to set the record straight and clarify my position regarding the recent incident that has drawn unwarranted attention.
“I am a legitimate businessman, well-known for my dealings in the buying and selling of vehicles of various kinds. I have built my reputation on trust, transparency, and due diligence,” he stated.
Kadara further narrated what actually transpired during the transaction with the said car dealer.
“I received a call from a known associate who informed me of a vehicle that was up for sale. Acting in good faith, I promptly went to inspect the car. Upon my arrival, the vehicle owner was not immediately present, so I waited until he arrived. Once he did, I thoroughly inspected the vehicle, and after negotiations, we agreed upon a price which for privacy and security reasons shall remain undisclosed.
“As part of my standard due diligence, I requested the vehicle’s documents. However, upon inspection, I noticed that the chassis number on the document did not match the one on the vehicle frame. I immediately raised this observation, to which the seller responded by admitting that he had mistakenly brought the papers for a different vehicle specifically a black Hilux, while the one being sold was a white Hilux. He assured me that he would provide the correct documents shortly, what convinced me was that, the envelop of which he brought out the document from was boldly written on it “black and white Hilux ” to me i assumed that the envelope contained the two particulars may be it was a mistake
“Given his assurance, we mutually agreed that I would make a part payment while withholding the balance until the correct documents were provided. This agreement was formalized, and both parties signed accordingly. I then transferred the agreed partial amount into the seller’s account.
“Less than four hours later, I received a disturbing call from an unknown individual claiming there was an issue with the vehicle in question.
“The truth of the matter is that the person that brought the car for sale from kano, and the owner of the said vehicle are related, his father and the person who owns the car are both from the same father and the same mother.
“Let me be absolutely clear:
At no point was there any indication or evidence that the vehicle was stolen or under dispute at the time of the transaction. All actions taken on my part were in good faith, based on representations made by the seller. I acted transparently, responsibly, and within the confines of the law,” he added.
Kadara also stressed that “to label me the buyer as a thief or fraudster under these circumstances is not only false and defamatory, but it also reflects a grave misunderstanding of the facts. A person can only be accused of wrongdoing if they fail to fulfill their obligations, such as providing valid documentation or refusing to cooperate none of which applies to me”.
He added that “i remain committed to conducting my business with honesty, professionalism, and respect for the rule of law”.
Meanwhile, Kadara has since been released while the stolen vehicle has been returned to the owner. Also, the account of the seller of the vehicle has been frozen by the police pending the refund of his (Kadara’s) investment on the vehicle.
The Police could not be reached to comment on the matter as the Spokesman to the police in Taraba, ASP Lashen James, did not pick his calls after several trials.
