From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested an Abuja-based couple, Yusuf Yunusa and Blessing Yusuf, along with six others, for stealing cars across the FCT and selling them to unsuspecting buyers.
Josephine Adeh, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.
Adeh said the arrests began with Yunusa, following a report of a stolen Toyota Corolla (Reg. No. ABC 570 FJ) from the Federal Secretariat on 19 April 2025. “On 19th April 2025, following the report of a stolen gold Toyota Corolla (Reg. No. ABC 570 FJ) from the Federal Secretariat, operatives of the command’s Scorpion Squad arrested one Yusuf Yunusa,” she said.
Further investigation led to the arrest of his wife, Blessing Yusuf, on April 25 in Kwali Area Council. Blessing confessed to purchasing Toyota master keys from the Jumia online marketplace, which her husband used to steal vehicles while she created distractions to aid the crimes.
In a separate case, police responded to a report on 28 April 2025 from a car buyer in Life Camp about a suspicious black Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC E-400 (Reg. No. AAA 07 KA). Investigation confirmed the vehicle was stolen from Lekki, Lagos. Five suspects—Idris Suleiman, Isiyaku Habibu, Ganiyu Sadiq, Idowu Akintunde, and Bello Muyideen—were arrested. “The stolen vehicle was recovered, and the suspects confessed to stealing it from their employer,” Adeh said.
Additionally, following a report from Chinwenze Chinaza that his driver, George Idung, had disappeared with an unregistered Toyota Hilux Adventure, police from Mabushi Division tracked Idung to his village in Eket LGA, Akwa Ibom State. He was arrested while attempting to sell the vehicle, which was recovered.
“He is in custody,” Adeh noted.
All eight suspects are in custody and will face court charges once investigations are concluded. The Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Ajao S. Adewale, urged residents to install tracking devices in vehicles, avoid isolated parking spaces, and verify vehicle ownership before purchase.
He provided emergency contact numbers for the FCT Police Command Control Room: 08032003913, 08028940883, and 08061581938.