Sacked Lagos IT Worker Arrested for Stealing ₦15M Equipment in Revenge Heist
The Airport Police Command in Lagos has apprehended a 28-year-old man who allegedly broke into his former employer's office and stole information technology equipment valued at approximately ₦15 million, in what he described as an act of revenge for his termination.
CCTV Footage Leads to Arrest
According to police reports, the suspect, identified as Ikpe, was arrested on April 3, 2026, after allegedly gaining unauthorized access to the premises of Vovida Communications Limited, an IT solutions company located along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport corridor in Lagos.
The company's surveillance system captured his movements, and after what authorities described as careful intelligence gathering, investigators tracked him down. Police Commissioner CP Ogunbode Olufunke, who heads the Airport Police Command, confirmed the arrest and stated it reflects the Command's ongoing commitment to maintaining security around airport facilities.
Stolen Equipment Details
The police investigation revealed that Ikpe allegedly stole:
- Two custom-made Vovida Central Processing Units (CPUs) valued at ₦10,357,000
- One high-end printer worth ₦4,715,000
This brought the total value of stolen equipment to approximately ₦15,072,000. By the time of his arrest, the printer had already been sold, but the CPUs were recovered after Ikpe cooperated with investigators.
Revenge Motive Confirmed
When questioned about his actions, Ikpe reportedly stated without hesitation that the theft was motivated by revenge for being sacked from his position at Vovida Communications. The termination apparently stung deeply enough to prompt this criminal response, according to police accounts of his confession.
Police Commitment to Airport Security
Commissioner Olufunke emphasized that the Airport Police Command remains vigilant against criminal activities in the airport vicinity. "The Command will not back down on ensuring criminal elements have no safe haven within the airport and its environs," she declared during a briefing about the case.
Ikpe is expected to face formal charges once police investigations are completed. For Vovida Communications, the recovered CPUs represent a partial restoration of their losses, though the printer remains missing with no reports of its recovery at this time.
