Police arrest four suspected burglars, recover stolen items in Ekiti

Operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command have arrested four suspected burglars during an intelligence-led raid on a criminal hideout in Ado Ekiti, recovering items believed to be proceeds of burglary and theft.

The operation was carried out on Sunday in the Omisanjana area of the state capital, according to the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu.

Abutu said the suspects arrested are Abdurazak Suleiman, 39; John Okori, 27; Francis Okori, 32; and Kehinde Alabi, 30, all residents of Omisanjana, Ado Ekiti.

He said: “During the operation, four suspects were arrested. They are Abdurazak Suleiman, 39; John Okori, 27; Francis Okori, 32; and Kehinde Alabi, 30, all residents of Omisanjana, Ado Ekiti.

“A search of the premises led to the recovery of numerous items suspected to have been stolen from various shops, including assorted perfumes, bathing soaps, alcoholic beverages, food items, body care products, cotton materials, clothing, a school bag, a 3kg gas cylinder and a sledgehammer suspected to have been used for shop-breaking operations.”

According to the police spokesman, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects lived together in the same apartment.

He added: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects lived together in the same apartment. Further intelligence gathered at the scene linked them to a recent burglary of a shop located at Ekute Quarters, Ado Ekiti, near the Water Works construction site, where some of the suspects were reportedly engaged as labourers.”

Abutu said efforts were ongoing to trace the owner of the burgled shop and other possible victims to enable them identify and recover their property.

He added that a comprehensive investigation had commenced to determine the full extent of the suspects’ involvement in burglary and other criminal activities.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo Falade, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing aimed at protecting lives and property across Ekiti State.

He added that the commissioner urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information, assuring them that all information received would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.