By Fidelis David 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Command, has arrested a 23-year-old man, Sodiq Yahaya, over the alleged theft of a motorcycle and uncovered a suspected syndicate involved in stealing, buying and selling motorcycles in the state.

Yahaya was arrested on September 2, 2026, following a tip-off from a vigilant resident along the Agbogbo axis, who alerted security personnel after noticing a motorcycle suspiciously parked within a premises in the area.

Acting on the information, personnel of the NSCDC Akure South Divisional Office, FERMA, mounted surveillance around the motorcycle and apprehended the suspect at about 10:30 a.m. while he was allegedly attempting to move it to another location.

According to the preliminary investigation, the suspect allegedly confessed to stealing the motorcycle from Shasha Market, opposite AA Rano Filling Station, in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

Further investigation, the Corps said, exposed what appeared to be a wider network involved in the theft and disposal of motorcycles, with the suspect allegedly identifying an individual known as “Magamu” as a receiver of stolen motorcycles.

The NSCDC, however, said Yahaya was unable to provide sufficient information to immediately establish the identity or whereabouts of the alleged receiver, prompting the Command to intensify efforts to track down other members of the suspected syndicate.

The stolen motorcycle was subsequently traced to its owner, Mustapha Abdullah, who was reportedly out of the state when the motorcycle was stolen.

The State Commandant, Commandant Oluyemi Joshua Ibiloye, commended the resident whose vigilance and prompt report led to the arrest, urging members of the public to remain security-conscious and report suspicious activities to the Corps and other security agencies.

Ibiloye said the Command remained committed to protecting lives and property across Ondo State, stressing that security agencies would continue to disrupt criminal networks and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought to justice.

The Command appealed to residents to sustain cooperation with security agencies, noting that timely information from members of the public remained critical to preventing crimes and apprehending suspected criminals.