Oyo Police Command has confirmed the arrest and recovery of stolen items worth over N16m from a suspected serial burglar, identified as one Nasiru Abiodun, within the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, in a statement, said the suspected burglar was arrested on Saturday following a report received at the Maku Base of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) from concerned residents of Oyewole Zone 2, Ile-Igbon, Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan.
He stated that the operatives apprehended the suspect at a residential apartment with a sack bag containing house cables and other valuable items estimated at ?3,000,000 (Three Million Naira).
‘Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting to having burgled a total of four different residential apartments within the area, carting away house cables, mobile phones, motorcycle batteries and other household valuables.
‘The total estimated value of the stolen items across the identified incidents amounts to ?16,220,000 (Sixteen Million, Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira), some of which have already been recovered from his possession.
‘Following the suspect’s confession and the revelations arising from the investigation, operatives of the Unit visited the identified crime scenes to establish relevant facts and advance the investigation.’
The police added that efforts have been intensified to recover the remaining stolen items and apprehend all individuals suspected of receiving the stolen property.
‘In view of the possibility of other unreported incidents linked to the suspect, the Command appeals to anyone within the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa, Ile-Igbon and adjoining communities whose residence may have been burgled in recent times to come forward and report such incidents to the nearest police station or the Maku Base of the Violent Crime Response Unit.
‘Such information will assist ongoing investigations and facilitate the recovery of additional stolen property.’