Police Arrest Man for Vandalising Railway Infrastructure in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old man, Shobande Taofeek, over alleged vandalism and theft of railway infrastructure in the Arigbajo area of the state.

The arrest was carried out by operatives of the command’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit following intelligence reports about the theft and destruction of railway materials in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday, saying the operatives intensified surveillance and patrols in the affected area on Friday, October 23, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Babaseyi said the suspect subsequently led the operatives to an uncompleted building where they recovered 16 railway iron rods and two gas cylinders suspected to have been used in the alleged operation.

The recovered items were taken into police custody as exhibits to support the ongoing investigation.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly admitted involvement in similar offences on three previous occasions.

The command said investigations were continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged crime, identify other individuals connected to the operation and recover any additional stolen property.

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting public assets and safeguarding critical infrastructure against vandalism and theft.

He warned that acts of vandalism targeting public infrastructure would be treated seriously, noting that such activities could undermine essential services and cause financial losses.

Ojajuni urged residents to support security agencies by providing credible and timely information that could assist crime prevention efforts and the protection of public facilities across the state.

The police said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other suspects who might have participated in the alleged offences.

The arrest comes amid continued security operations targeting the theft and vandalism of railway infrastructure, which authorities have identified as a threat to public assets and the safe operation of rail services.