Man, 42 years Arrested At Lawson College For Burglary

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA

The security operatives at Alaba Lawson College, Abeokuta have arrested a 42 year old man, Onyekechi Okolo who invaded and carted away various properties of the school.

Okolo, the suspected thief was arrested at the college situated along Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital on Friday in an uncompleted building which serves as his hideout, after a series of surveillance placed on him by the security operatives of the college headed by Moses Olowoake.

The suspect, having been handed over to the police confessed to the crime and that he took the advantage of the bushy surrounding to perpetrate the crime. He added that many of the products, equipment and items stolen were sold to awaiting receiver.

However, visit to the abandoned building which is about three plots in size showed that the suspect has been residing in a massive structure, and had created a hole on the wall which leads him in and out to carry out his operations.

Furthermore, he had converted one of the rooms in the building as his bedroom, while some cooking utensils were discovered in the house, as well as remnants of Indian hemp found in another room, when the police visited the scene.

In his explanation, he stressed that he was employed by a ‘ghost’ landlord to be in charge of the building and look for tenants to occupy the house, which was established to have being abandoned over a decade.

He confirmed to have lost contact with the ‘ghost landlord’, and has since been residing in the building which is located inside a forest, adding that it was because no salary offered by the unknown landlord that he ventured into stealing.

Meanwhile, the Proprietress of the college, Iyalode Alaba Lawson speaking on the development commended the security officials of the college which include; Dolapo Koleoso for the proactive measure exhibited to apprehend the suspect and thanked police for quick response.

The Iyalode of Yorubaland also expressed appreciation to God for exposing the alleged criminal early enough; adding that she never knew there was an abandoned building in the forest which shared same fence with the college.

Lawson said with the shocking discovery, the school authorities would not waste time in clearing the forest within the next few days, and also called on the Ogun State government to investigate the building and do the needful before the crimes within the hideout escalate.