Police Nab Suspect With 228 Android Phones, Foreign SIM Cards

The Ondo State command of the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended a suspect named Temidayo Fadahunsi in the Ijoka vicinity of Akure, the state capital, in connection with an alleged mobile phone theft.

The police reported that a complaint regarding the theft of a mobile phone had been filed at a local police station, which subsequently led to Fadahunsi’s arrest.

During a press conference held at the police headquarters in Akure on Saturday, the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, revealed that a search at the suspect’s residence led to the discovery of 228 Android phones and several foreign SIM cards.

“On February 6, 2025, a case of stealing was reported to the police. Through shared intelligence, officers acted swiftly and arrested one Temidayo Fadahunsi, aged 25, at the Ijoka area of Akure.

“Upon searching his premises, we found 228 Android phones, 156 different types of batteries, and 23 foreign SIM cards, none of which he could satisfactorily account for.

“The suspect is currently under investigation and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of inquiries,” The CP stated.

Afolabi further reported the apprehension of multiple individuals suspected of kidnapping, who had been on the police command’s wanted list for their roles in various abduction incidents throughout the state.

The suspects taken into custody include Aminu, Abdullahi Abubakar, Yusuf Saidu, Nafiu Ibrahim, Mohammed Anas, Kabiru Mohammed, Yusuf Suleiman, and Ishaku Abdul, the latter being a recently released ex-convict.

On February 13, 2025, through a combination of intelligence gathering and technical surveillance, Aminu was arrested at Akure Garage in Ikare Akoko.

His capture facilitated the subsequent arrest of Abdullahi Abubakar. Additional operations conducted between February 14 and 15 resulted in the apprehension of further suspects, including Yusuf Saidu, Nafiu Ibrahim, Mohammed Anas, and Kabiru Mohammed, as noted by the police commissioner.

In a different incident in Ipele, Afolabi disclosed that a woman had been taken from her residence by unidentified gunmen.

However, a prompt response from the police, in collaboration with local youths, led to her successful rescue. During this operation, officers recovered an AK-49 rifle at the scene.

“Through intelligence-led policing, one of the suspects, Yusuf Suleiman, was arrested in connection with the abduction,” he added.

Furthermore, the police commissioner confirmed the arrest of Ishaku Abdul, who was recently released from a correctional centre but had been suspected by neighbours of involvement in recent criminal activities in the area.

“The Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, acting on a tip-off, apprehended Ishaku Abdul at Aladura Camp, Oke-Oge, Osi, in Akure North Local Government, an area that has recently witnessed a rise in kidnappings,” the CP said.

Afolabi confirmed that all individuals identified as suspects who have been included on the police wanted list will face charges in court following the completion of the investigations.