The Oyo State Police Command has busted a transnational organised crime syndicate allegedly involved in stealing exotic vehicles and trafficking them across Nigeria’s borders for sale in foreign countries.
The Command said its operatives from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), acting on actionable intelligence, arrested two suspects and recovered a stolen Lexus RX 350 SUV.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.
According to the police, the breakthrough followed information obtained during the interrogation of a suspect already in custody over an armed robbery case involving about 10 victims.
The suspect reportedly disclosed his knowledge of a criminal network specialising in receiving and conveying stolen vehicles to foreign countries.
Police said operatives subsequently allowed the suspect to operate his mobile phone under controlled circumstances, during which members of the syndicate sent him pictures of a vehicle they were preparing to steal and instructed him to arrange its reception and movement across the border.
The Command said the intelligence coincided with a request from the Kwara State Police Command on August 24, 2026, for assistance in intercepting a 2017 Lexus RX 350 SUV allegedly stolen from a woman at gunpoint at her residence in Ilorin.
Following the information, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police directed the VCRU commander to deploy operatives along the Ibadan–Ilorin Expressway to intercept the vehicle and arrest those conveying it.
At about 4:00 a.m. on August 25, VCRU operatives reportedly sighted the vehicle and attempted to stop it.
The occupants allegedly abandoned the SUV and fled into the bush in different directions. The operatives pursued them, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
The suspects were 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 bullet wound to his left foot during the operation and was taken into custody.
A search of the recovered SUV reportedly led to the discovery 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 reportedly told investigators that they were taking the vehicle towards the border, where an ECOWAS document was to be obtained to facilitate its movement into another country for sale.
The Commissioner of Police commended the VCRU operatives for their prompt response, professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
He directed that the investigation be intensified to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate and dismantle the wider transnational criminal network.
The Command also commended the Kwara State Police Command for its cooperation and intelligence-sharing, stressing that sustained inter-state collaboration was crucial to tackling organised and transnational crime.
The Oyo Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration, assuring that criminal networks operating within and across the state would be pursued and brought to justice.
Members of the public can report emergencies through the Oyo State Call Response Centre toll-free line, 615, or the Oyo State Police Command Control Room on 08081768614 and 07055495413.
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