{
  "id": 4055026,
  "title": "10-year-old car vandalism gang busted in Lagos",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/10-year-old-car-vandalism-gang-busted-in-lagos-4055026",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T23:32:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/10-year-old-car-vandalism-gang-busted-in-lagos/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Lagos State Police Command has dismantled a long-standing vehicle vandalism gang that has been operating across the state for approximately ten years. Two members, Uba Chigozie, 46, and Onyeka Emordi, 37, were apprehended by the command's Anti-Kidnapping Unit, guided by CSP Sunday Cirman. The suspects were accused of specializing in targeting Toyota vehicles, particularly models like Corolla, Sienna, and Hilux, with the majority of their operations occurring on the side of the road or at cars that had broken down. The gang could completely dismantle a vehicle and extract valuable parts within a mere ten minutes, often profiting up to N100,000 per operation. They specifically targeted components like brain boxes, press button machines, pigeon holes, and air conditioning vents, which were then sold to buyers of stolen automobile parts. One of the suspects, Chigozie, a former spare parts dealer, confessed to participating in vehicle vandalism in Lagos for a decade. He claimed that the demolition of his spare parts shop at the Papa Ajao market drove him to join the gang. The other suspect, Emordi, started his criminal career after losing his job as a casual driver at a flour mill and discovered vehicle vandalism through a customer named Emeka at the Ladipo Market. Both suspects were apprehended in various hotels around Ijesha and Ladipo markets, respectively. The gang's modus operandi involved using a disfigured Mercedes-Benz jack to intimidate potential victims who tried to stop them during their operations. Police spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi confirmed the arrests and warned other criminals to change their ways or face the full force of the law.",
  "summary": "The Lagos State Police Command has busted a suspected vehicle vandalism syndicate that has allegedly been operating across the state for about 10 years. Two members of the gang, identified as 46-year-old Uba Chigozie and 37-year-old Onyeka Emordi, were arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command under the supervision of CSP Sunday Read More:…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "10-year-old car vandalism gang busted in Lagos",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/10-year-old-car-vandalism-gang-busted-in-lagos",
        "published": "2026-08-28T23:26:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}