Intelligence Operation: Oyo Police Bust Transnational Car Theft Syndicate, Arrest Two
..As Stolen Lexus SUV, four laptops, iPhone, watches and jewellery recovered
Oyo State Police Command has busted a transnational organised crime syndicate allegedly involved in the trafficking of stolen exotic vehicles across Nigeria’s borders for sale in foreign countries.
The breakthrough followed an intelligence-led operation conducted by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, one of the suspects already in police custody over an armed robbery case, during interrogation, disclosed information about a criminal network specialising in receiving and conveying stolen vehicles to foreign countries.
The police said the suspect was subsequently allowed to operate his mobile phone under controlled circumstances, during which members of the syndicate allegedly sent him pictures of a vehicle they were about to steal and instructed him to make arrangements for its reception and movement across the border.
The development coincided with actionable intelligence received by the Oyo State Police Command from its Kwara counterpart on August 24, 2026, requesting assistance in intercepting a Lexus RX 350 SUV, 2017 model, allegedly stolen from a woman at gunpoint at her residence in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Following the alert, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State directed the Commander of the VCRU to immediately commence an intelligence-led stop-and-search operation along the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway.
At about 4:00 a.m. on August 25, 2026, operatives reportedly sighted the stolen Lexus SUV and attempted to stop it for interrogation.
The occupants, however, allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush in different directions.
The operatives gave them a hot chase, leading to the arrest of two suspects, identified as 33-year-old Adewale Abiola and 36-year-old Kabiru Abobarin, also known as “KB.”
The police said one of the suspects sustained a gunshot wound to his left foot during the operation.
A search of the recovered vehicle reportedly led to the recovery of valuables belonging to the victim, including four HP laptops, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, a bag containing seven wristwatches and jewellery.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to receiving the vehicle from members of the syndicate who stole it in Ilorin.
They further disclosed that they were conveying the vehicle towards the border, where an ECOWAS document was allegedly to be obtained to facilitate its movement across the border for sale in a foreign country.
The Oyo State Police Command said investigation had been intensified to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate and dismantle the wider transnational criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police commended the VCRU operatives for their prompt response, professionalism and effective use of actionable intelligence.
The Command also praised the cooperation and intelligence-sharing between the Oyo and Kwara State Police Commands, stressing that sustained inter-state collaboration remains crucial to tackling organised and transnational criminal activities.
The Oyo State Police Command reiterated its commitment to intelligence-led policing, inter-agency collaboration and the disruption of criminal networks operating within and across the state.
