Ogun police arrest 36-year-old over railway vandalism, recover 16 iron rods

Ogun police arrest 36-year-old over railway vandalism, recover 16 iron rods

...suspect allegedly confessed to committing similar offences three times, police say

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old man, Shobande Taofeek, over the alleged vandalisation and theft of railway infrastructure in the Arigbajo area of the state.

The police said 16 railway iron rods and two gas cylinders were recovered during the operation.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

According to the statement, the arrest followed intelligence reports on the alleged vandalisation and theft of railway materials in the area.

Babaseyi said operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics unit intensified surveillance and patrols in the affected area on October 23, 2026, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

He added that the suspect subsequently led the operatives to an uncompleted building, where the stolen items were recovered as exhibits.

The statement noted that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly confessed to participating in similar offences on three previous occasions.

The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other suspects connected with the crime and recover additional stolen property.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting public assets, safeguarding critical infrastructure and bringing perpetrators of economic sabotage to justice.

Ojajuni urged residents to provide timely and credible information to the police to support crime prevention and ensure safer communities across the state.