Security guard arrested with vehicle stolen from his employer in Port Harcourt

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 -The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected inter-state vehicle thief and recovered a vehicle allegedly stolen from his employer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following a swift police response, intelligence-led investigation and effective collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Army.

The arrest followed a distress call received at about 11:59 a.m. on Friday, October 9, from one Akin Thomas, in Epinmi, who reported that a motorist had purchased Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)worth N100,000 but allegedly drove away without making payment.

According to the report, the suspect, subsequently identified as Bamidele Rowell Lodi, allegedly distracted the fuel attendant by asking him to fetch water before speeding away without paying for the fuel. Upon receiving the complaint, police operatives attached to Isua Division immediately mobilised, mounted route blocks and commenced a pursuit of the fleeing suspect.

On sighting the police operatives, the suspect allegedly diverted onto the Ise–Ikare Road in an attempt to evade arrest. However, the pursuing officers sustained the chase and promptly activated operational synergy with personnel of the Nigerian Army at the checkpoint in Auga. Through this coordinated response, the suspect was intercepted and arrested for further investigation.

Preliminary investigation and intelligence gathering subsequently linked the suspect with vehicle in his possession, reported to have been stolen from his employer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

Acting on the intelligence, investigators compared the chassis number of the vehicle in the suspect’s possession with the chassis number of the suspected stolen vehicle supplied to the police. The numbers were found to match, providing a crucial lead in establishing the vehicle’s identity and the circumstances surrounding its possession.

Further intelligence indicated that the suspect was employed as a security guard by the vehicle’s owner in Port Harcourt and allegedly stole his employer’s vehicle before fleeing. The recovered vehicle and the suspect remain in police custody as investigations continue to establish the full circumstances of the alleged offences, verify the ownership of the vehicle, and determine whether the suspect may be connected to other criminal activities.

Reacting to the arrest, the Ondo Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, commended the operatives of Isua Division for their prompt response and professionalism, as well as the Nigerian Army personnel at the Auga checkpoint for their timely intervention and effective collaboration. He noted that the operation underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation, actionable intelligence, and swift response in combating crime across communities and state boundaries