Police have arrested two suspected livestock thieves who allegedly specialized in stealing goats from Osogbo, Ikirun, Obagun, Iree, Eripa, Otan-Ayegbaju and Ila communities in Osun State.
Safer Highway patrol police operatives while on stop and search of vehicles in Odeomu-Sekona axis, apprehended the two suspects; Naheem Ibrahim, 46; and Suraju Isiaka, 33, while they were making attempt to move the animals to Lagos in a vehicle, Lexus SUV.
Upon police search, it was discovered that the suspects were in possession of 14 live and one dead goat (she-goat), to sell to their prospective customers in Lagos State
Upon discovering the stolen animals, policemen who immediately arrested the suspects and moved them to the police headquarters in Osogbo for questioning and further investigation .
According to investigation, the suspects target the time the owners of the goats have gone to bed and the night guards employed to watch over the communities were yet to assume duty.
Investigation revealed that residents of these communities have been wondering how their goats have been reportedly missing without traces and sometimes blamed one another for the theft.
Spokesperson of the command, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspects were heading to Lagos in a Lexus SUV with the animals stolen from different communities when they were intercepted by the policemen.
“Upon interrogation, they confessed to have stolen the goats from different locations in Osogbo, Ikirun and lla-Orangun to be sold to one lya Bisola at Mile-12, Lagos State. More so, the suspects confessed to having been operating in Osun State since 2019.”
She said the suspects confessed that their time of operation was between 8pm and 10pm before night guards at various locations report for duty, adding that the goats were usually sold between N5,000 and N10,000.
“They confessed how they usually operate. They always target the time night guards will assume duty and ensure they finish their operations before then. They also revealed in their confession how they sell the stolen goats between N5,000 and N10,000 to their prospective customers.
“We are still investigating the matter and ensure that all their accomplices are brought to Justice, “Opalola stated.
“Osun State Police Command has told residents of the state to check at the state command headquarters in Osogbo for their missing goats, following the recovery of 15 goats from the two inter-state livestock robbers.”
The PPRO said the suspects would be charged to court soon after investigation is concluded.
He called on the general public to be security conscious at all times and report any strange face found in their respective communities, saying the job of crime prevention, detection and control is for everybody.
Meanwhile, one of the owners of the animals commended the policemen who intercepted the criminals, saying each of the goats which they confessed to have been selling between N5,000 and N10,000 are sold between N30,000 to N40,000.
“Every day, we woke up to discover that one or two goats were missing and we continued wondering who was behind the goat theft in our community in Eripa. I have visited the police headquarters to identify my own so others whose goats were also stolen or missing came as well for identification,” she said.
