According to a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, detectives attached to the Ifo Divisional Headquarters arrested the prime suspect, Temitope Omotayo Odulaja, 47, alongside Segun Suleiman, 27, Haruna Olaogun, 49, Jimoh Wasiu, 42, and Quazzim Suleiman, 49, following an intelligence-led investigation.
The police said the case began after the owner of the trailer reported that his driver had disappeared with the vehicle on June 6, 2026. After several unsuccessful attempts to locate both the driver and the trailer, the matter was reported to the Ifo Police Division. Detectives, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, immediately launched an investigation, deploying technical and intelligence resources to trace the suspect.
Police investigations led detectives to Ikorodu, Lagos State, where Odulaja was arrested on July 24, 2026. The Command said the suspect subsequently provided information that assisted investigators in tracking down four other suspects in Ijebu-Ode the following day. Preliminary findings revealed that the stolen trailer had allegedly been dismantled shortly after it was stolen, with its parts sold through a suspected criminal network. Detectives recovered parts of the trailer, including the trailer head, while photographs of the dismantled vehicle have been taken as exhibits.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the detectives for what he described as a major breakthrough in the fight against organised vehicle theft. He said the arrests and recovery underscore the Command's commitment to intelligence-led policing and its determination to dismantle criminal networks operating within the state. The police added that investigations are ongoing to recover the remaining parts of the trailer, identify other members of the syndicate, and ensure that all those found culpable are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Command also urged transport operators, fleet owners, logistics companies, and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities to the police through its emergency channels.
