Five Arrested for Transformer Theft and Vandalism in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command announced on Thursday that officers from the Igbeba Division in Ijebu-Ode have arrested five suspects accused of specializing in shop burglaries, stealing armoured cables, and vandalizing transformers in Ijebu-Ode and surrounding areas.

The arrested individuals are 32-year-old Emmanuel, also known as Ozon, residing in Emurin Ijebu Ode; 39-year-old Samuel Sunday Idoko from Iwesi Street, Ijebu Ode; 21-year-old Tolulope Ilesanmi from No. 4 Ilepa Street, Ilese Ijebu; 29-year-old Sanusi Daniel from Epe, Lagos State; and 20-year-old Ogunkoya Victor from Ijagun Road, Ijebu Ode.

Superintendent of Police Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson for the state police command, shared this information in a statement to journalists on Thursday.

She noted that officers at the division had received numerous complaints from victims of shop burglaries, who are still assessing their losses from an electronic shop theft that occurred in September, as well as several similar incidents in October.

She stated that the police had also been overwhelmed with complaints about various crimes, including cable theft, vandalism of transformers, and theft of property from homes while residents were at work.

Odutola said “However, on the 4th of October, 2024, at about 8:30 pm, the police at Igbeba Police Station received information regarding a member of a syndicate involved in burglarising shops and stealing AMOR cable wires from transformers in Ijebu Ode and surrounding areas.

“These suspected burglars who had been evading arrest were identified and spotted at the Ijebu Ilese Toll Gate.

“Acting on this information, a team of detectives promptly responded and apprehended the first suspect, Emmanuel M., also known as “Ozon,” a 32-year-old resident of Emurin Ijebu Ode.

“During questioning, Emmanuel confessed to being part of the burglary syndicate and provided information that led to the arrest of a second suspect, Samuel Sunday Idoko, a 39-year-old from Iwesi Street, Ijebu Ode.

“The third suspect is Tolulope Ilesanmi, a 21-year-old from No. 4 Ilepa Street, Ilese Ijebu.

“The fourth suspect, Sanusi Daniel, is a 29-year-old living near a primary school in Epe, Lagos, and the fifth suspect is Ogunkoya Victor, also known as “Emo,” a 20-year-old from Gloria School, Iyana Cele, Ijagun Road, Ijebu Ode.”

The suspects reportedly confessed to breaking into the electronics store owned by Anayo Sunday James at Bobadara Junction, Igbeba Road, Ijebu Ode, on February 20, 2024.

They also admitted to stealing armoured cable wires from transformers along Igbeba Road and other locations in Ijebu Ode.

The police disclosed that during a search of Idoko’s home, they discovered burglary tools, including an iron cutter, drilling machine, cutting machine, hammer, screwdriver, and iron chisel.

The suspects are currently undergoing further interrogation, and efforts are underway to capture the remaining fugitives and recover additional stolen items.