iPhone 17 Stolen During Chaotic APC Convention Entrance, Recovered Hours Later
A Senior Special Assistant on Media to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Wale Ajetunmobi, has provided a detailed account of how his iPhone 17 Pro Max was stolen during the All Progressives Congress National Convention in Abuja, only to be recovered through police intervention after several hours of tracking.
Chaotic Scene at VVIP Entrance
The incident occurred on Friday evening, March 27, 2026, as Ajetunmobi arrived in Abuja around 4:10 pm. After facing delays at the airport and rushing to change into the party's uniform, he proceeded to Eagle Square with other officials. The situation turned chaotic when governors and top party leaders arrived simultaneously at the VVIP entrance, creating confusion as security officials established multiple checkpoints and numerous individuals struggled for access.
"Everything seemed blank before I came to terms with the fact that I had been robbed," Ajetunmobi recounted. "My Charmast power bank and AirPods were the only working tools left to me. How would I work with such hardware? However, I strolled into Eagle Square without betraying any emotion. But within me, I was experiencing deep pain."
Tracking and Recovery Operation
Despite the theft, Ajetunmobi remained at the convention venue before returning to his hotel in the early hours of Saturday. Using another device, he tracked the missing phone and discovered it had been moved to another area of Abuja. He immediately contacted a senior police officer, who alerted a special police team to begin tracking the device from early Saturday morning.
The tracking led officers to a location in Karu, near the NNPC Filling Station, at approximately 10:50 am. Ajetunmobi joined the police team, tracking the device from his iPad as they closed in on the phone's location. The signal led them to a roadside car lot near Karu Bridge, where Ajetunmobi's iPad indicated the phone was nearby.
"I came down and walked into the car lot," Ajetunmobi explained. "The 3D map of the 'Find My' app led me to a shield that looked like a makeshift mosque where some 15 people were sitting and chatting away. I pretended I wanted to pray."
Professional Police Intervention
As Ajetunmobi sat on a bench, his iPad signaled that the phone was exactly at his location. He discreetly signaled to plainclothes police officers who were following him, prompting their intervention. The officers demonstrated what Ajetunmobi described as impressive professionalism, briefing the head of the car lot about their mission.
The car lot's head confirmed that the individuals under the shield had attended the APC Convention and were returning from Eagle Square when their SUV experienced overheating issues, forcing them to stop for repairs before proceeding to Keffi. The group's leader agreed to a thorough search of all members.
"After searching five persons, the next person to be searched started getting nervous," Ajetunmobi continued. "Lo and behold: my iPhone slipped out of Mahmoud Abdullahi's trousers. The phone was off due to low battery, but I had my power bank with me to power it on."
Suspect Identification and Arrest
Ajetunmobi successfully unlocked the device with his passcode, confirming ownership. The suspect, Mahmoud Abdullahi, claimed to work with the Nasarawa State Ministry of Justice and admitted to stealing the phone during the chaotic moments at the VVIP entrance of Eagle Square. Abdullahi was subsequently arrested by the police team.
The recovery occurred against the backdrop of the APC's fourth elective national convention, which saw the election of a full set of national executives through consensus. Key positions filled included Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda as national chairman and Sen. Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru as national secretary, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and thousands of delegates in attendance.
This incident highlights both the security challenges that can emerge during large political gatherings and the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement responses when technology-assisted tracking is employed properly.
