Oyo State police detain suspected serial burglar Nasiru Abiodun and recover valuables worth millions of naira

The Oyo State Police Command announced the arrest of a man identified as Nasiru Abiodun on 31 October 2026 in the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa neighbourhood of Ibadan. Operatives from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) acted on a report from residents of Oyewole Zone 2, Ile‑Igbon, and apprehended the suspect at a residential apartment around 09:45 a.m. The police recovered a sack containing house cables and other valuables, with an initial estimate of the recovered items at about ₦3 million.

According to statements from the police public‑relations officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the suspect confessed to burglarising four separate apartments in the area. The stolen items included house cables, mobile phones, motorcycle batteries and assorted household goods. The total value of the items taken from the four apartments was assessed at roughly ₦16.22 million, of which a portion was recovered from the suspect at the time of arrest.

Background

The arrest follows a series of burglary complaints received by the VCRU from residents of the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa district, a suburb of Ibadan that has experienced a spate of residential break‑ins. The police command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, based at the Maku Base, responded to the residents’ report on the morning of 31 October. The operation resulted in the seizure of a sack bag containing house cables and other items, and the subsequent interrogation led the suspect to admit involvement in four separate burglaries.

The Oyo State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has highlighted a broader strategy of proactive policing and intelligence‑driven operations to curb criminal activity in the state. The command has also called on community members to report any further incidents or suspicious activity to the nearest police station or directly to the VCRU’s Maku Base.

Why it matters

The recovery of stolen property valued at over ₦16 million underscores the financial impact of the burglaries on local residents. The police’s ability to retrieve a portion of the loot and secure a confession may aid in the restitution of victims and deter similar crimes. The incident also illustrates the importance of community‑police collaboration; residents’ prompt reporting enabled a swift response that prevented further loss.

The police command has urged residents of Ejiooku/Iyana Offa, Ile‑Igbon and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and to provide credible information that could assist ongoing investigations. The command has publicised its toll‑free call‑response centre (615) and control‑room numbers (08081768614, 07055495413) for emergencies and tips.

What happens next

Following the arrest, police operatives visited the four identified crime scenes to gather further evidence and to verify the suspect’s statements. The command indicated that efforts would continue to locate and recover any remaining stolen items and to identify any accomplices who may have received the stolen property. The police have not announced a court date for the suspect, but the investigation remains active, with authorities encouraging the public to report any additional information that could aid the case.