A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilesa, Osun State has sentenced two men, Damilare Oladunjoye and Azeez Ibironke to one year in prison for stealing iron rods from a federal road construction site along the Ilesa-Ibadan Expressway.

The duo were found guilty by Magistrate Adedokun Ayeni of Magistrate Court II, Ilesa Division, after being arraigned on charges bordering on theft.

According to the Osun State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps in a statement obtained by DAILY POST on Friday, the suspects were arrested during a routine midnight patrol conducted by operatives on Monday along the Ilesa-Ibadan Expressway.

The Corps, in a statement by its spokesperson, Yusuf Idowu Abass, stated that the patrol team observed the duo riding a motorcycle while transporting iron rods concealed in a sack. 

“The suspects reportedly attempted to flee upon sighting the Amotekun patrol vehicle but were pursued and apprehended.

“During preliminary investigations, the two men allegedly confessed to stealing the iron rods from a road construction site located on the expressway.

“The suspects further admitted that they had previously stolen construction materials from the same project on more than one occasion.”

According to their confessional statements, the stolen iron rods were sold to a scrap dealer for ₦35,000 per operation, with the proceeds shared between them.

Following the completion of investigations, the defendants were arraigned before Magistrate Court II, Ilesa Division, on June 2, 2026. 

The prosecution was conducted by the Legal Adviser of the Osun Amotekun Corps, Oyedele Akintayo, on three counts of stealing, contrary to the laws of Osun State.

After hearing the matter, the court convicted the defendants and sentenced them to one year imprisonment each. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Ten suspected robbers and thugs have been arrested by the Niger State Police Command in a crackdown on criminal gangs operating in parts of Minna, with dangerous weapons and suspected cannabis recovered from the suspects.

The arrests followed separate intelligence-led patrols and raid operations conducted by police operatives in collaboration with local vigilante groups.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed in a statement on Friday three suspects were arrested while allegedly attempting to rob passengers in a tricycle along the Kwari-Begger/Maitumbi axis of Minna.

According to him, operatives attached to the Tactical Support Team were on routine patrol on June 4 when they spotted a group of armed youths wielding cutlasses and knives.

The suspects, identified as Sadiq Ibrahim, 25, Abdulazeez Ahmed, 25, and Ibrahim Abdullahi, 26, all residents of Kwari-Begger, Maitumbi, were immediately apprehended.

Abiodun said two cutlasses and a jackknife were recovered from the suspects, who allegedly confessed during interrogation that they intended to dispossess passengers of their phones and other valuables.

In a related operation, police operatives attached to the Central Police Station, alongside vigilante members, raided criminal hideouts around PZ area, Sabon-Gari, Abdulsalam Quarters, Tayi Village and Seyeno on June 2.

Seven additional suspects were arrested during the raid, while two sharp curved weapons and quantities of suspected cannabis were recovered.

The police spokesman said all the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation.

Meanwhile, he stated that the command also arrested a suspect, Abubakar Alfa, for allegedly being in possession of a locally made pistol and a cutlass at a public function in Katcha.

The suspect was arrested by operatives attached to Katcha Division on June 1 after he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for possessing the weapon.

He has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation.

In another development, the police recovered an abandoned Volkswagen vehicle with registration number KUJ 113 SB along the Suleja-Minna Road.

Abiodun said the vehicle had reportedly been abandoned near Farin-Doki for three days before police operatives from Paiko Division, assisted by community members, moved it to the station for safekeeping and investigation.

The command said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the robbery syndicate and unravel circumstances surrounding the abandoned vehicle.

Suspected bandits have abducted a nine-year-old boy and vandalised two residential buildings during an attack on Igbosi area of Idogun in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Friday when the armed men stormed the community, firing gunshots indiscriminately to create panic among residents before carrying out the attack.

The abducted child, identified as Oluwatobi, is the son of a local cleric, Isaac Olaosebikan.

Sources within the community said the attackers invaded the area at about 1 a.m., causing residents to flee their homes for safety. Many reportedly escaped to neighbouring communities after hearing repeated gunshots.

According to residents, the assailants damaged two buildings during the operation before abducting the boy and taking him to an unknown destination.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers and intensified efforts to secure the victim’s release.

“The Ondo State Police Command has commenced an intensive manhunt for suspected kidnappers who abducted a nine-year-old boy during a violent attack on residents of Ugbosi Quarters, Idogun, in Ose Local Government Area of the state,” he said.

Ayanlade explained that the incident was reported at about 2:30 a.m. by Isaac Olaosebikan and another resident, Joel Owalekan.

According to him, preliminary reports indicated that the armed men invaded the community at about 1:30 a.m., shooting sporadically and throwing residents into confusion.

He said the attackers forced their way into the residence of Olaosebikan, who escaped into a nearby bush in a bid to save his life.

“During the attack, the assailants reportedly forced their way into the residence of Mr Olaosebikan Isaac. In a desperate attempt to save his life, he escaped into the surrounding bush, leaving behind his nine-year-old son, Master Olaosebikan Victor, who was subsequently abducted by the armed men,” the police spokesman stated.

Ayanlade added that Owalekan also reported that the same group attempted to break into his residence and damaged parts of the building. He, however, escaped unharmed after fleeing the scene.

The police spokesperson disclosed that operatives of the command, in collaboration with personnel of the Amotekun Corps, had been deployed to the area and had commenced a coordinated rescue operation.

He said security teams were combing nearby forests and possible escape routes in an effort to rescue the child and apprehend those behind the attack.

According to him, investigations have commenced, while relevant exhibits recovered from the scene are being examined to aid efforts to track down the suspects.

The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Felix Ohagwu, has directed tactical units, intelligence operatives and other security teams to intensify efforts toward rescuing the victim unharmed and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Ayanlade said the command was also working closely with other security agencies and local vigilante groups to ensure the successful rescue of the abducted boy and the arrest of all those involved in the crime.