The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a criminal network allegedly involved in moving stolen luxury vehicles across Nigeria’s borders for onward sale abroad.
The arrests followed an intelligence-driven operation by the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), which also led to the recovery of a 2017 Lexus RX 350 SUV reportedly stolen from a woman in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The command’s spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan.
He identified the suspects as 33-year-old Adewale Abiola and 36-year-old Kabiru Abobarin, popularly known as “KB”.
According to the police, the breakthrough came after an earlier suspect arrested over an armed robbery case allegedly provided information about a syndicate involved in receiving stolen vehicles and moving them towards international borders.
The police said the suspect was subsequently monitored while using his mobile phone under controlled conditions. During the process, members of the alleged syndicate reportedly sent him photographs of a vehicle they intended to steal and instructed him to arrange its movement out of the country.
The development coincided with information received from the Kwara State Command on August 24 concerning the theft of the Lexus SUV during an armed robbery at a woman’s residence in Ilorin.
Following the report, the Oyo Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, ordered the VCRU to intensify surveillance and stop-and-search operations along the Ibadan–Ilorin Expressway.
Police operatives reportedly sighted the vehicle around 4am on August 25 and attempted to stop it. The occupants allegedly abandoned the SUV and escaped into nearby bushes.
The ensuing chase resulted in the arrest of two suspects, with one of them sustaining a gunshot injury to his left foot.
A search of the recovered vehicle also led to the discovery of four HP laptops, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, seven wristwatches and jewellery believed to belong to the victim.
The suspects allegedly told investigators that they received the vehicle from members of a syndicate that stole it in Ilorin and were transporting it towards the border. They reportedly planned to obtain an ECOWAS document to facilitate its movement into another country.
The Commissioner of Police commended the VCRU operatives for acting on the intelligence and directed investigators to trace and arrest other members of the alleged network.
The command also praised the cooperation between the Oyo and Kwara police commands, stressing that intelligence sharing and coordinated operations were essential to tackling organised and cross-border crime.
- Funke Akindele reunites with JJC Skillz in Paris - August 26, 2026
- Police arrest two, recover stolen vehicle in Oyo - August 26, 2026
- Why I’m returning to Senate after 15 years — Obasanjo - August 26, 2026
