By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested five suspects in connection with separate incidents of shop breaking and burglary in the Ado-Odo area of the state, recovering stolen foodstuffs and other items.
Among those arrested are two teenagers who allegedly confessed to participating in multiple shop burglaries across Ado-Odo.
The command, in a statement issued on Saturday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Oluborode Opeyemi, said the arrests followed coordinated operations involving the police, community members and local security operatives.
According to the statement, the first incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on September 2, 2026, after concerned residents alerted the police that a watchman had observed suspicious movements inside a market stall.
Police patrol teams were subsequently mobilised to the scene, where two teenagers, 15-year-old Lateef Kalid and 16-year-old Kareem Jamal, were allegedly apprehended inside the shop.
Stolen foodstuffs and other items were reportedly recovered from them.
The police said further interrogation led to the arrest of 14-year-old Sofiu Alabi, who allegedly admitted providing the key used to gain access to the shop.
The command said all three suspects had been charged to court.
In a related development on September 4, local security operatives of the So-Safe Corps reportedly apprehended two other teenagers, 16-year-old Taofik Abioro and 15-year-old Ogundele Monday, before handing them over to police detectives.
The command said preliminary interrogation indicated that the two suspects confessed to participating in multiple shop burglaries across Ado-Odo.
“Subsequent searches at their premises yielded additional stolen items,” the statement said, adding that the case had been referred for further investigation.
The police also said efforts were ongoing to track down an alleged accomplice who remained at large.
Commending the officers of the Ado-Odo Division for what he described as their swift response, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, also praised the So-Safe Corps and community members for their cooperation with the police.
The commissioner stressed that “collaborative stakeholder engagement remains vital to disrupting criminal networks.”
Ojajuni urged parents, guardians and community leaders to exercise firm supervision over young people to prevent their involvement in criminal activities.
He also advised business owners to strengthen basic security around their premises and promptly report suspicious activities to the authorities.
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