Police authorities have arrested two men suspected of belonging to a syndicate involved in the theft and cross-border trafficking of exotic vehicles in Nigeria.
The suspects, identified as Adewale Abiola and Kabiru Abobarin, were apprehended by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit of the police command.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to Ayanlade, the suspects were arrested after police operatives spotted a stolen Lexus SUV at about 4am on August 25, 2026, and attempted to stop the vehicle for questioning.
The occupants reportedly abandoned the vehicle and fled into a nearby bush, prompting the operatives to pursue them.
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The chase resulted in the arrest of the two suspects, with one of them sustaining a gunshot injury to the left foot during the operation.
Police said a search of the recovered Lexus SUV led to the discovery of valuables believed to belong to the vehicle’s owner.
The items included four HP laptops, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, seven wristwatches and some pieces of jewellery.
During preliminary questioning, the suspects allegedly told investigators that they received the vehicle from members of a syndicate responsible for stealing it in Ilorin.
They further allegedly revealed that they were taking the Lexus towards the border, where an ECOWAS document was expected to be obtained to facilitate the vehicle’s movement out of Nigeria.
The police said the suspects intended to move the vehicle across the border for sale in another country.
Ayanlade said the investigation was ongoing as authorities continued efforts to uncover other members of the alleged syndicate and establish the full extent of their activities.
The police also said the recovered vehicle and other items had been retained as exhibits as investigations continued.