Police arrest five teenagers over multiple shop burglaries in Ogun

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By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

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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.

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Among those arrested are two teenagers who allegedly confessed to participating in multiple shop burglaries across Ado-Odo.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Stolen foodstuffs and other items were reportedly recovered from them.

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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.

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The command said all three suspects had been charged to court.

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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.

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The command said preliminary interrogation indicated that the two suspects confessed to participating in multiple shop burglaries across Ado-Odo.

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“Subsequent searches at their premises yielded additional stolen items,” the statement said, adding that the case had been referred for further investigation.

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The police also said efforts were ongoing to track down an alleged accomplice who remained at large.

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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.

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The commissioner stressed that “collaborative stakeholder engagement remains vital to disrupting criminal networks.”

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Ojajuni urged parents, guardians and community leaders to exercise firm supervision over young people to prevent their involvement in criminal activities.

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He also advised business owners to strengthen basic security around their premises and promptly report suspicious activities to the authorities.

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