The suspects were arrested during an intelligence-driven operation by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), which also led to the recovery of a Lexus RX 350 SUV stolen during an armed robbery in Ilorin, Kwara State.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Oyo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.
According to the statement, the operation was initiated after a suspect already in police custody over an armed robbery case provided information about a syndicate specialising in receiving and moving stolen vehicles to foreign countries.
Police said the suspect was allowed to operate his phone under controlled conditions, during which members of the syndicate allegedly sent him photographs of a vehicle they planned to steal and instructed him to arrange its reception and transportation across the border.
The development coincided with intelligence received from the Kwara State Police Command on August 24 concerning a 2017 Lexus RX 350 SUV reportedly stolen from a woman at gunpoint at her residence in Ilorin.
The vehicle was said to have been stolen alongside other valuables belonging to the victim.
Following the alert, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police directed the VCRU commander to deploy operatives along the Ibadan–Ilorin Expressway to intercept the stolen vehicle and arrest those transporting it.
At about 4:00 a.m. on August 25, officers reportedly spotted the Lexus SUV and attempted to stop it. The occupants allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush.
The operatives pursued them, resulting in the arrest of two men identified as 33-year-old Adewale Abiola and 36-year-old Kabiru Abobarin, also known as “KB.”
One of the suspects reportedly sustained a gunshot injury to his left foot during the operation.
A search of the recovered SUV led to the discovery of items belonging to the victim, including four HP laptops, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, seven wristwatches and jewellery.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly admitted receiving the vehicle from members of the gang responsible for stealing it in Ilorin.
They also allegedly disclosed that the vehicle was being taken towards the border, where an ECOWAS document was expected to be obtained to facilitate its movement into another country for sale.
The Commissioner of Police commended the VCRU operatives for their prompt response and effective use of intelligence, while directing investigators to intensify efforts to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate.
The command also praised the cooperation between the Oyo and Kwara State Police Commands, stressing that intelligence-sharing and inter-state collaboration are crucial to tackling organised crime.
The Oyo Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led operations and pledged to continue working with other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks operating within the state and across Nigeria’s borders.
