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Lagos airport police arrest 14 suspects over MMIA building material theft, with 13 jailed after pleading guilty in court.

Security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos have cracked down on a major theft ring. Fourteen suspects are now facing the law for stealing valuable building materials from the airport's ongoing renovation site.

The Airport Police Command made this known in an official statement. The suspects were nabbed on April 20, 2026, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Terminal 1. This terminal is currently undergoing a major facelift.

The arrest was no accident. The Joint Monitoring Task Force, a combined team of airport security operatives, acted on solid intelligence. They discovered the suspects inside the restricted construction zone during a routine patrol.

This crackdown follows weeks of frustration from project managers. They had repeatedly reported the mysterious disappearance of building materials at Terminal 1. These complaints forced the security team to increase surveillance and tighten patrols around the area.

When the task force moved in, they caught fourteen men red-handed. The suspects include Muhammed Sadiq, Aliu Umaru, Nuhu Muhammed, Adam Muhammed, Husaini Garuba, Suleman Umaru, and Muhammed Musa.

Others on the police list are Ali Ali, Haruna Adamu, Umaru Musa, Henry Kumasen, Aliu Umaru, Idris Umaru, and Bakura Mustapha.

The thieves had a simple but effective trick. Investigations revealed they gained access to the site by pretending to be workers of the construction company. This disguise allowed them to bypass standard security checks.

During the raid, security operatives recovered a haul of stolen items. These included high-value copper wires, iron materials, and other vital construction equipment.

Justice moved swiftly after the arrests. The police charged the suspects before the Magistrate Court for Special Offences in Oshodi, Lagos, on April 21, 2026.

In a quick turn of events, thirteen of the accused persons pleaded guilty to the charges. The court handed them a prison sentence of one year and seven months.

The remaining suspect, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations. He has been remanded in custody by the court, and his trial will resume on June 16, 2026.

The Commissioner of Police for the Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, commended the task force for their swift and professional action. She made it clear that crime has no place in the aviation sector.

"Their swift action reinforces the Command’s zero-tolerance stance against criminal activities within the aviation environment," she said.

CP Olufunke also assured the public that the police will continue working with all stakeholders. The goal is to ensure total safety, security, and protection of operations at the airport.