Monarch says suspect allegedly committed over 10 thefts since April release
Ameenah Gusanu
A suspected ex-convict, identified as Soyingbe Timothy, has been re-arrested by the police in Ijofin, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, following allegations linking him to a series of night-time burglaries in the community.
Timothy was reportedly apprehended at about 2am on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, while allegedly attempting to retrieve and move a machine said to be worth about N1m from a bush where it had reportedly been concealed.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that some youths in the community had mounted surveillance around the area after allegedly receiving information about the stolen machine.
The suspect was reportedly caught while attempting to move the machine but allegedly resisted arrest, resulting in a struggle during which one of the youths was reportedly injured.
He was eventually overpowered and handed over to the police.
Residents who spoke with PLATFORM TIMES alleged that Timothy had returned from prison less than two months earlier and had subsequently been linked to several night-time theft incidents in the community.
One resident, who requested anonymity, alleged that the suspect had been moving from one house to another at night, stealing valuables from residents.
The resident claimed that on September 7, Timothy allegedly entered his house at about 2am and stole his wife’s mobile phone before reportedly proceeding to another residence.
According to the resident, the suspect was allegedly caught at the second house but managed to escape.
A market woman identified simply as Iya Emmanuel also recounted how she allegedly lost about N1.3m, jewellery, a bag and a mobile phone during a burglary at her residence on August 31.
She said the incident occurred at about 2am when the intruders allegedly entered her compound through the fence and gained access to her room through an open window.
“I always open my window because of the heat. I had just returned from the market a day before. The money was what I was going to take to the market the next day because I am a market woman. It was N1.3 million.
“I kept the money in one of my expensive bags together with some jewellery and my phone. They took everything and dropped my SIM card outside,” she said.
According to Emmanuel, she only discovered the burglary after her son’s wife noticed the SIM card outside the house the following morning.
“She called me, and that was when I ran inside to look for my phone. That was when I discovered that my money, jewellery, bag and other valuables had been taken,” she added.
Emmanuel said she reported the incident at the Ipokia Police Station, after which police officers visited her residence as part of their investigation.
She added that the police asked her to provide the carton of the stolen phone to assist efforts to track it.
However, she alleged that another burglary occurred at her residence on September 7.
