The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a chef, John Cosmos Govi, for allegedly masterminding the theft of luxury items worth about N150m after reportedly drugging his employers in Abuja.
The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, and destruction of property.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, said investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly secured employment at the residence after connecting with two accomplices identified as Peter and Moses, who are currently at large.
The police said Govi, who reportedly attended a catering school in Cotonou, Benin Republic, was accused of secretly studying the movement of residents and the security arrangement within the house before carrying out the operation on April 23, 2026.
According to the statement, the suspect allegedly mixed a sedative substance with meals prepared for members of the household and security personnel to render them unconscious.
The police added that after the victims became incapacitated, the suspect allegedly allowed his accomplices into the residence, where they vandalised the CCTV system and stole cash alongside 20 luxury wristwatches valued at approximately N150m.
“The operatives later intercepted the suspect around the Gwagwalada axis while he was attempting to flee to Lagos,” the statement partly read.
Police authorities further disclosed that an iPhone 17 Pro Max belonging to one of the victims and a suspected chemical substance were recovered from the suspect during the operation.
The recovered substance, according to the police, has been sent for forensic analysis, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The Force reaffirmed its commitment to combating organised crime and assured residents that all those linked to the incident would be brought to justice.
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