The Ogun State Police Command has recovered a Lexus 460 SUV valued at N45m, hours after it was allegedly stolen by the owner’s driver, with one suspect arrested in connection with the incident.
The vehicle was reportedly stolen by a 28-year-old driver, Jeremiah Jacob Emmanuel, who allegedly planned to move it to Cotonou, Benin Republic, for sale at N10m.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, explaining that the Agbado Divisional Police Headquarters received a report of the theft around 7pm on November 12, 2026.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the driver had taken his employer to work earlier in the day before allegedly driving away with the SUV without permission.
The driver reportedly told his employer that his wife was unwell before taking the vehicle to meet two other individuals identified as 34-year-old Akeem Olawale and Monday Keshi, who is currently at large.
Babaseyi said the suspects allegedly planned to transport the vehicle to the neighbouring country and sell it for N10m, despite its estimated market value of N45m.
He stated, “The suspects had allegedly arranged to take the vehicle to Cotonou, Benin Republic, for sale at ₦10 million, despite its estimated value of ₦45 million.”
Following the report, detectives reportedly launched an immediate operation, which resulted in the arrest of one of the suspects at Agbado Crossing around 7pm on the same day.
The police also recovered the stolen SUV during the operation.
The police spokesman added that the arrested suspect allegedly confessed to his involvement in the planned transportation of the vehicle to Cotonou during preliminary investigations.
Meanwhile, the command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect, while the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers involved in the operation, praising their vigilance and prompt response.
He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing, tackling criminal networks and ensuring that suspects were brought to justice.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, assuring the public of its continued commitment to protecting lives and property.
