Two suspects attempting to smuggle a stolen vehicle, a 28-seater Toyota Coaster bus outside the country through Idi Iroko Border with the intention of selling it outside the country have been apprehended by the police.
Operatives attached to Idiroko Division of the Ogun State Police Command, led by CSP Adejuwon Ariyo, the Divisional Police Officer, foiled the cross-border vehicle trafficking attempt and arrested two suspects, Seun Lawal ‘M’, aged 46 years, and Ademola Oriyomi ‘M’, aged 38 years.
According to DSP OLUSEYI BABASEYI, the Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State Police Command at Eleweran in Abeokuta, the two suspects, the driver of the vehicle owned by a Lagos based company and his guarantor conspired to smuggle the Toyota Coaster bus, earlier declared stolen from Lagos, into the Benin Republic for illegal disposal.
Babaseyi said the police acting on credible intelligence received at about 11:00 p.m. on June 12, 2026, indicating that the suspects had positioned the said vehicle at Babaloke area of Idiroko and were preparing to move it across the international border under false pretence, made a swift swoop on them.
He said on receiving the information, CSP Adejuwon Ariyo immediately mobilised and led a surveillance team to the location, where operatives intercepted the suspects in the course of executing the cross-border movement.
In a decisive tactical response, the operatives demobilised the vehicle by shooting one of its tyres, effectively immobilising it and preventing its escape across the border.
The prompt intervention led to the arrest of the two suspects and the recovery of the stolen 28-seater Toyota Coaster bus at the scene.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Seun Lawal, a driver, conspired with Ademola Oriyomi, his guarantor, to steal and sell the vehicle in the Benin Republic. The suspects admitted that the proceeds were intended to facilitate their relocation after the illegal transaction.
The suspects are currently in custody while investigation continues to uncover possible links to broader cross-border vehicle theft syndicates.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, psc, FCSS, MNIPR, commends the professionalism, vigilance, and tactical precision of CSP Adejuwon Ariyo and the operatives of Idiroko Division, whose intelligence-led response ensured the interception, demobilisation, and recovery of the stolen vehicle.
The CP reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to proactive policing, strengthened border security operations, and sustained efforts aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of action within Ogun State and its border corridors.
Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies.
For emergencies and credible information, residents have been advised to contact the Ogun State Police Command through: Gateway Shield (Toll-Free): 0800 000 9111
Emergency Lines: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, 0708 497 2994
