Cotonou-Trained Chef Drugged Abuja Boss and Security Guards to Cart Away 20 Luxury Wristwatches Valued at ₦150 Million; Intercepted While Fleeing to Lagos

A high-society residential compound in Abuja became the ground zero for a calculated inside heist after a newly hired chef turned his culinary skills into a dangerous tool for robbery. The Nigeria Police Force has officially disabled the operation, arresting the principal suspect who allegedly drugged an entire household, disabled their security shield, and escaped with high-end luxury items worth an estimated ₦150 million.

The suspect, identified as John Cosmos Govi, was successfully tracked and intercepted by the elite operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT). According to police briefs, Govi who received his professional culinary training in Cotonou, Benin Republic infiltrated the high-end private residence by securing employment as their private chef. Rather than focusing on his catering manual, investigators revealed he used his access to meticulously study the family’s daily schedules, transit lines, and internal security deployments.

The operational script reached its climax on April 23, 2026. Govi allegedly laced the household’s dinner with a heavy, fast-acting sedative substance. The chemical cocktail worked exactly as planned, completely knocking out both the family members and the estate’s security guards. With the defense lines entirely incapacitated, Govi opened the compound gates to welcome his two accomplices, identified simply as Peter and Moses.

The gang launched an aggressive sweep of the property, first smash-vandalizing the central CCTV monitoring system to wipe out any digital footprints. They thoroughly ransacked the master bedrooms, carting away stacks of hard cash and an elite collection of 20 luxury wristwatches valued at a staggering ₦150 million.

“Our tactical units activated a swift tracking network the moment the distress portal opened,” stated Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid. “Operatives successfully choked off the escape routes, cornering the principal suspect around the Gwagwalada axis just as he was boarding transit to slip into the Lagos trenches.”

While Govi remains locked down in heavy security custody, a search dragnet is actively combing regional transit hubs to apprehend Peter and Moses, who managed to evade the initial net. Operatives have already recovered a stolen iPhone 17 Pro Max belonging to the main victim, alongside a sample of the suspected liquid chemical used in the food poisoning, which has been shipped to forensic labs for immediate analysis. The police command has used the shocking breach to issue a strict technical warning to affluent residents in the Federal Capital Territory, urging them to run comprehensive background profiles and security clearances before opening their home portals to domestic workers.