The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended two suspected armed robbers, Mohammed Adeniyi Usman, also known as 'Mandela', and Abiodun Ogunojukan, also known as 'Ilasa', and recovered three stolen vehicles from them in the Ifo and Sango areas of the state. The suspects, aged 48 and 38 respectively, were arrested on May 10, 2026, following a sustained intelligence-led investigation into an earlier reported case of armed robbery and vehicle snatching within the divisions' areas of responsibility.
Arrest and Recovery
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed this to newsmen in a statement released in Abeokuta. He stated that based on the investigation, operatives from the Ifo and Sango Divisions, led by Divisional Police Officers CSP Kamorudeen Olabisi (Ifo) and CSP Idowu G. Olatunji (Sango), raided a criminal hideout in the Adeleye Area, Itele, Ota, where stolen vehicles were concealed. Upon arrival at about 4:00 p.m., operatives sighted the suspected stolen vehicles within the premises and immediately cordoned off the area, laying a strategic ambush for the occupants who were not present at the time. The operation yielded success at about 10:35 p.m. with the arrest of Mohammed Adeniyi Usman.
Recovered Items
A search of the premises led to the recovery of one Toyota Corolla belonging to a complainant, one Toyota Venza allegedly stolen at gunpoint on April 26, 2026, at Ilese-Awo, Abeokuta, and one Honda Crosstour reportedly snatched during a separate armed robbery operation at Ijoko, Ota. Initial investigations indicate that the suspect belongs to a larger criminal network responsible for armed robbery and vehicle theft activities across Ogun State and other areas. Based on further intelligence, operatives on May 11, 2026, at about 5:00 p.m., traced and arrested another suspect, Ilasa, at Sango-Ota Under Bridge.
Suspects' Cooperation
Babaseyi said that the suspect admitted his role in the commission of the crime and assisted the police with useful information to track down other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover additional stolen vehicles. Exhibits recovered from the suspects include the three stolen vehicles, two live cartridges, foreign currencies, one So-Safe Corps uniform, one MP3 sound system, and one plasma television. The police spokesperson said that all the recovered exhibits have been properly documented and secured, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further discreet investigation and prosecution.
Commendation from Commissioner
The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the operatives for their professionalism and intelligence-led policing approach in apprehending the suspects. He insisted that the Command is committed to the protection of lives and property and the sustained clampdown on criminal elements across the state.
