Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing fight against car theft and armed robbery, dismantling a notorious car-snatching syndicate that operated across Lagos, Oyo, and Kwara states. In a statement issued on Thursday, May 21, 2026, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that three suspects have been arrested and five suspected stolen vehicles recovered following an intelligence-led investigation that began with a single report of a stolen Toyota Camry.
According to the statement, operatives of the Command received a report of car theft and immediately embarked on a painstaking intelligence-led investigation. Through the deployment of technical and tactical intelligence, the stolen Toyota Camry 2008 model was located at the point of re-registration. The discovery of the vehicle at the registration point proved to be the crucial link that unravelled the entire criminal network. Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate operates within Lagos State while concealing and disposing of stolen vehicles in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Ilorin, Kwara State, a cross-state operation that made them difficult to track.
In the course of the investigation, operatives traced and arrested one Segun Olawuwo, a 58-year-old male, in Ibadan, Oyo State. A search conducted on his premises led to the recovery of another suspected stolen vehicle, a Toyota Corolla 2008 model. Further interrogation of Olawuwo provided leads that pointed to other members of the syndicate still at large. Acting on this intelligence, operatives traced and arrested two other members of the syndicate identified as Femi Afolabi, 53 years, and Sunday Ugbomudia, 53 years, in Ilorin, Kwara State. During the arrest in Ilorin, police recovered one Toyota Camry 2008 model and one Toyota Corolla 2006 model, both identified as stolen vehicles. The suspects' arrest further led to the recovery of another stolen Toyota Camry 2012 model, which had earlier been sold to an unsuspecting buyer in Ibadan.
The police statement noted that all three suspects have confessed to their involvement in a series of car-snatching and armed robbery operations within and outside Lagos State. The suspects reportedly targeted specific vehicle models, particularly Toyota Camry and Corolla, which are among the most sought-after vehicles in the Nigerian auto market due to their durability, availability of spare parts, and resale value. The stolen vehicles were typically re-registered with forged documents or sold to unsuspecting buyers at prices significantly below market value. The syndicate's ability to operate across state lines, using Ibadan and Ilorin as concealment and distribution hubs, highlights the increasingly sophisticated nature of car theft networks in Nigeria.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani Fatai, commended the operatives for their professionalism, resilience, and commitment to tackling criminal activities across the state. He noted that the breakthrough was the result of painstaking intelligence work and collaboration with law enforcement agencies in Oyo and Kwara states. CP Fatai reiterated the command's determination to rid Lagos of criminal elements and warned other car snatchers that they would be caught and made to face the full weight of the law. He also disclosed that efforts have been intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover more stolen vehicles linked to the gang.
The Commissioner also used the opportunity to urge members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly provide useful information through the Command's emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929. He noted that public cooperation remains critical to the success of crime-fighting efforts in the state.
The arrest of the three suspects and the recovery of five stolen vehicles is the latest in a series of successes recorded by the Lagos State Police Command under CP Tijani Fatai. In April 2026, the command arrested a 13-man robbery syndicate and recovered 14 vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Coaster bus, in the Ijeshatedo area of Surulere. In February 2026, police operatives arrested 27 suspected robbers and cultists and recovered several weapons and stolen vehicles across the state. These recurring successes, however, have not fully stemmed the tide of car theft in Lagos, which remains a major security challenge due to the high demand for vehicles and the porous nature of the state's borders.
The five recovered vehicles have been impounded by the police, and efforts are underway to identify and contact their original owners. The suspects, Segun Olawuwo (58), Femi Afolabi (53), and Sunday Ugbomudia (53), will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation. The police have also announced that they are working with the Vehicle Inspection Service and the National Vehicle Identification Scheme to track down other stolen vehicles that may have been sold to unsuspecting buyers. For the car owners who have lost their vehicles to the syndicate, the recovery offers a glimmer of hope. For the three suspects now in custody, the next stop is the courtroom, where they will answer for a cross-state criminal enterprise that has left a trail of victims across three states.
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