Truck driver, four others arrested for theft in Ogun

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The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a fleeing trailer driver and four other suspects for allegedly stealing and dismantling a trailer, uncovering what it described as a suspected criminal syndicate involved in dismantling stolen trailers and selling their parts.

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The command said parts of the stolen trailer, including the trailer head, had been recovered, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the suspected syndicate and recover the remaining components.

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The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abeokuta.

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According to the statement, the suspects are Temitope Omotayo Odulaja, 47, the trailer driver; Segun Suleiman, 27; Haruna Olaogun, 49; Jimoh Wasiu, 42; and Quazzim Suleiman, 49.

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Babaseyi said the arrests followed a complaint lodged at the Ifo Divisional Headquarters by the trailer owner, who reported that his driver absconded with the vehicle on June 6, 2026.

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He said, “The breakthrough followed a complaint lodged at the Ifo Divisional Headquarters by the owner of the trailer, who reported that his driver had absconded with the vehicle on 6th June, 2026, and all efforts made to locate him and recover the trailer proved abortive. Upon receipt of the complaint, detectives led by the DPO, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, immediately commenced an intelligence-led investigation and deployed technical intelligence to trace the fleeing driver.”

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The command said detectives tracked the fleeing driver to Ikorodu, Lagos State, where he was arrested on July 24.

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“On 24th July, 2026, acting on credible intelligence, detectives tracked the fleeing driver to Ikorodu, Lagos State, where Temitope Omotayo Odulaja, aged 47, was arrested. The suspect thereafter provided useful information that advanced the investigation,” he said.

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Babaseyi added that the investigation led detectives to Ijebu-Ode the following day, where four other suspects were arrested at different locations.

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“On 25th July, 2026, detectives extended the operation to Ijebu-Ode, where Segun Suleiman, aged 27, Haruna Olaogun, aged 49, Jimoh Wasiu, aged 42, and Quazzim Suleiman, aged 49, were arrested at different locations within the area for their alleged involvement in the criminal enterprise”, the statement added.

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He said preliminary investigations revealed that the trailer was dismantled shortly after it was stolen and its parts disposed of.

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The statement continued, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the stolen trailer had been dismantled shortly after it was stolen and its components unlawfully disposed of. Detectives have so far recovered parts of the stolen trailer, including the trailer head, while photographs of the dismantled trailer have been taken as exhibits.

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“The investigation has further uncovered a suspected trailer-dismantling syndicate, with ongoing efforts to recover the remaining parts of the trailer, identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate, establish the full extent of its activities, and recover additional exhibits.”

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He said investigations were ongoing and that all suspects found culpable would be prosecuted. “Investigation is ongoing, and all persons found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation will be charged to court in accordance with the law.”

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The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the detectives for what he described as a major breakthrough against organised vehicle theft.

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He urged transport operators, fleet owners, logistics companies and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons and activities to the police, assuring residents that the command would continue to intensify intelligence-led operations to protect lives and property.

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“The arrest of the fleeing trailer driver, the subsequent arrest of his accomplices, the recovery of parts of the stolen trailer, and the uncovering of the suspected trailer-dismantling syndicate underscore the Command’s unwavering commitment to intelligence-led policing and its determination to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks operating within Ogun State,” the statement quoted him as saying.

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