Police in Abuja arrest pastor over interstate car theft ring

Operatives attached to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have taken an acclaimed cleric into custody over his alleged participation in an interstate car theft syndicate that operates across state borders. The arrest followed a focused inquiry into the disappearance of a Toyota Camry removed from a commercial complex in the heart of Abuja. Detectives tracked down the suspects after tracing leads that stretched beyond the capital territory into neighboring states, recovering the missing vehicle and exposing an organized ring that targets unattended cars in crowded business areas.

The command announced the breakthrough through its public relations officer, SP Josephine Adeh, who issued an official briefing detailing how the operation unfolded. According to police authorities, the primary suspect was identified as Edwin Nwabueze, a man claiming to lead a Christian congregation. He was apprehended alongside an associate identified by the police as Sadiq Jamiu. Investigators picked up both men after receiving formal complaints regarding the stolen vehicle, which vanished from the premises of the UTC Plaza situated in the busy Garki District of the federal capital.

Adeh explained that the breakthrough was the direct result of sustained and expanded investigations by tactical teams who pursued physical and forensic leads. The principal suspect was trailed to his residential quarters and apprehended on October 27, 2026. Once secured in custody, Nwabueze cooperated with detectives and directed the search team to another location, where operatives closed in on Jamiu. The swift double apprehension allowed detectives to link physical evidence from the Garki theft directly to the two individuals, frustrating any immediate plans to dispose of the automobile.

During interrogation, Nwabueze provided details about his background and personal operations. He informed the interrogating officers that he is an indigene of Oji River in Enugu State but maintains his permanent home in Benue State. He presented himself to the authorities as an active minister of religion, claiming leadership of Salvation Power Bible Ministry, a church organization situated in the North Bank neighborhood of Benue State. Despite these spiritual claims, investigators uncovered that his activities outside the pulpit had already attracted serious law enforcement attention elsewhere in the country.

Background verification conducted by the command revealed that Nwabueze had a prior paper trail with criminal justice authorities. Preliminary inquiries connected him directly to previous arrests executed by the Benue State Police Command, where he had been questioned and processed over separate instances of vehicle theft. Operatives discovered that the duo did not work in isolation but operated as vital cogs in a wider network. Detectives confirmed that the men form part of an organized syndicate specializing in stealing automobiles in urban centers and selling them to unsuspecting buyers or underground dealers spread across multiple Nigerian states.

Car theft syndicates often exploit the jurisdictional lines between different state police commands, moving stolen assets across state boundaries within hours of theft to evade local patrols. Commercial plazas and major public markets, such as the UTC complex in Garki, remain prime spots for such syndicates due to the heavy volume of visitors, frequent vehicle turnover, and porous security arrangements. Thieves typically rely on master keys, electronic signal jammers, or internal collusion to drive away target vehicles unnoticed before car owners finish their business transactions.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command noted that inquiries have not ended with the arrest of the two men. Adeh confirmed that extensive investigations are ongoing to establish the full range of the syndicate’s operations, track down other accomplices who remain on the run, and identify additional vehicles they may have moved through their network. Police operatives are examining bank accounts, phone records, and transit routes commonly used by the gang to ferry stolen property from Abuja to Benue and other adjoining territories.

The police command also addressed residents directly, asking the public to remain vigilant about their surroundings and the security of their private property. Vehicle owners were advised to adopt practical safeguards and alert the nearest division whenever suspicious movements occur around parking spaces. The police urged residents to make use of dedicated emergency telephone lines, releasing the contact numbers 08032003913 and 08061581938 for immediate distress reports. Both Nwabueze and Jamiu remain detained at the command headquarters, where they will stay until detectives finalize their case files and bring them before a court of competent jurisdiction.