Dare Babalola
Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have taken a 22-year-old woman into custody after uncovering a suspected stolen Suzuki minibus hidden in a bush and undergoing repainting in the Omu-Ijebu area of the state.
The arrest followed a tip-off received by officers at the Omu-Ijebu Division, who were alerted to suspicious activity along Ikhasi Road in the Kajola area.
According to police findings, a group comprising three men and a woman had been spotted attempting to repaint an unregistered commercial bus, commonly referred to as “Korope.”
Confirming the development in a statement issued on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said officers immediately moved to the scene upon receiving the intelligence.
“Operatives quickly mobilised to the location, but on arrival, the suspects took to their heels in different directions. The woman, identified as Azeez Khadijat, was found inside the vehicle and arrested,” he stated.
Authorities believe the minibus was originally painted yellow before it was being altered to a white-and-blue colour scheme in what investigators suspect was an attempt to disguise its identity.
The vehicle, which carried a Lagos registration number, has since been recovered and taken into police custody. Items believed to belong to the fleeing suspects—including mobile phones, a power bank, a paint container, sandpaper, and a charging cable—were also retrieved from the scene.
Preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle may have been used in criminal operations within Lagos State, prompting efforts by the suspects to modify its appearance and avoid detection.
Police authorities disclosed that the case will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for a more detailed probe and possible prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bode Ojajuni, praised the prompt action of the officers involved and assured that efforts were underway to track down the remaining suspects who escaped.
Residents were also encouraged to stay alert and promptly report unusual or suspicious activities to security agencies through designated emergency lines.
In a related development, police operatives on Monday apprehended three individuals during separate raids in the Mowe and Sagamu areas.
During the operations, officers recovered locally fabricated firearms, live cartridges, and charms suspected to be connected to cultism and other criminal acts.
