BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Airport Police Command in Lagos has arrested a former employee of Vovida Communications Limited over the theft of high-value equipment worth more than ₦15 million from the company’s premises near the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The suspect, 28-year-old George Ikpe, was apprehended on April 3, 2026, by operatives of the airport division following what police described as “diligent intelligence gathering and investigation.”
According to the Command, preliminary findings showed that Ikpe allegedly returned to his former workplace and gained unauthorized access to the facility, making away with critical IT equipment essential to the company’s operations.
A breakthrough in the case came after investigators reviewed the company’s CCTV footage, which “clearly captured the suspect’s movements and aided in confirming his identity,” the police said.
Stolen items include two custom-built Vovida Central Processing Units (CPUs) valued at ₦10.36 million and a high-end industrial printer worth ₦4.72 million, bringing the total value of the haul to approximately ₦15.07 million.
Police said the investigation yielded partial recovery. “Further investigation led to the recovery of the stolen CPUs on the disclosure of the suspect,” the statement noted, adding that the printer had already been sold before his arrest.
In his statement to investigators, Ikpe reportedly confessed that he carried out the theft as an act of retaliation.
He “stated that he committed the crime as an act of revenge following the termination of his employment with the company,” the Command disclosed.
Reacting to the arrest, Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Ogunbode Olufunke, reaffirmed the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on crime within the airport corridor.
“The Command will not back down on ensuring criminal elements have no safe haven within the airport and its environs,” she said, adding that the suspect would be prosecuted at the conclusion of investigations.
She also called on residents and businesses to support policing efforts through timely information sharing.
“Members of the public should promptly report suspicious activities and criminal incidents to the nearest police division, noting that timely reporting greatly enhances swift response and recovery efforts,” the Commissioner stated.
The Command stressed that it remains committed to protecting lives and property, insisting that the airport environment must remain secure for businesses, travellers and critical infrastructure.
Police spokesperson, ASP Mohammed Adeola, who signed the statement, said the case underscores the growing role of surveillance and intelligence-led policing in tackling insider-related crimes in corporate environments.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
