2 goat thieves arrested in Osun as police recovers 15 stolen animals
By Charles Akinbode
Men of the Osun State Police Command have arrested two suspected goat thieves, Naheem Ibrahim, and Suraju Isiaka.
The suspects were reportedly nabbed on Odeomu-Sekona Higway by operatives of the Safer Highway Patrol team as they were trying to move 15 straying goats out of the state to Lagos.
According to a statement by the police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, the suspects, Ibrahim (46) and Isiaka (33), were heading to Lagos in a Lexus SUV with the animals stolen across Osun State when they were interceptednon Wednesday by the policemen.
She said: “Today, May 10, 2023, around 3.10am, police team from Safer Highway Patrol along Odeomu-Sekona axis, arrested the above-named suspects in possession of 14 live goats and one dead goat (she-goat).
“Upon interrogation, they confessed to having 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 have been operating in Osun State since 2019.
“The suspects confessed that their time of operation was between 8.00pm and 10.00pm before night guards at various locations reported for duty. They also said that the goats are usually sold between N5,000 and N10,000.”
Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner has advised residents of the state to check the state command headquarters at Osogbo for their missing goats.
A police statement asked the residents of Osogbo, Ikirun, Obagun, Iree, Eripa, Otan-Ayegbaju and Ila, the communities where the goats might have been stolen from between 9th and 10th May, to report at the command headquarters in Osogbo with proof of ownership.
The statement read in parts: “This is to inform the general public, especially the residents of Osogbo, Ikirun, Obagun, Iree, Eripa, Otan-Ayegbaju and Ila, whose goats are missing between 9th and 10th May, 2023, to report/come to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Police Command Headquarters, Osogbo, for possible identification and collection.”
