Abuja Chef Arrested in Alleged ₦150 Million Luxury Burglary Plot

(Nigeria Police. Photo by Daily Post)

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a chef, John Cosmos Govi, in connection with a burglary at an Abuja residence in which luxury items and valuables estimated at around N150 million were stolen.

The arrest was disclosed on Monday, May 25, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, who said operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) apprehended the suspect following investigations into allegations of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, malicious damage, and administering harmful substances.

According to police findings, Govi had allegedly secured employment as a chef at the residence and used the opportunity to study the movement of occupants, the household's daily routine, and its security arrangements before allegedly executing the burglary on April 23, 2026.

He is said to have carried out the operation with two accomplices, identified as Peter and Moses, who are currently at large.

Investigators allege that food prepared within the household was laced with a suspected sedative to incapacitate both the occupants and security personnel.

Once they had lost consciousness, the suspects reportedly broke into the property, destroyed CCTV installations, and made away with 20 luxury wristwatches valued at approximately N150 million, along with other valuables.

DCP Placid said the suspect was intercepted in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory while allegedly attempting to escape to Lagos.

An iPhone 17 Pro Max believed to belong to the victim, as well as a suspected chemical substance, were recovered during the arrest.

Placid reaffirmed the Force's commitment to dismantling organised criminal networks and bringing all fleeing accomplices to justice. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts to track down the remaining suspects continue.