Nigerian comedian Okey Bakassi has announced a ₦5 million reward to help recover phones stolen during a private football gathering in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The incident happened on Wednesday evening, April 15, 2026, during a regular weekly football session. Bakassi shared details of what happened in a video posted online, explaining that an unfamiliar young man joined the group while they were playing.
According to him, the group allowed the stranger to take part in the match out of goodwill. After playing briefly, the man reportedly claimed he was injured and stepped off the pitch to sit near the sidelines.
While the game continued and players were focused on football, the suspect allegedly took advantage of the moment to steal several phones. Reports indicate that about eight devices belonging to different players were taken before the man disappeared from the scene.
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Bakassi explained that the stolen phones belonged to businessmen who depend heavily on their devices for daily activities. He warned that the suspect might try to sell the phones at low prices.
The matter has already been reported to the police, and efforts are ongoing to trace the suspect and recover the stolen items. However, specific details about the investigation were not disclosed.
The comedian also issued a warning to the suspect, giving a 24-hour deadline to return the phones to the security post where they were taken.
To support recovery efforts, he promised a cash reward of ₦5 million to anyone who can help track any of the stolen devices or provide useful information that leads to their recovery.
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He further advised people who buy second-hand phones to be careful and always request proper identification from sellers to avoid buying stolen property.
“This evening, 15th of April 2026, where we play football every Wednesday evening in Ikoyi, a young man came to play with us. Out of our own kindness, we allowed him to join us.
“He played for a little bit and feigned injury, went to the stands to sit. While we were carried away playing football, this criminal carted away people’s phones. Took about eight handsets and disappeared.
“If you’re the one who came out this evening to play with us and you feel that the way to pay us back is to cart away phones and vanish, we will find you. It will only take time. In your best interest, you have the next 24 hours to return those phones back to the security post where you took them from.
“For everyone else who knows how to track phones, contact me in my DM. There’s a five million naira waiting for whoever can track any one of those phones,” he wrote on Instagram.
