Mother faints as police nab 14-year-old for stealing cable

A 14-year-old student named Sulaiman Abubakar has been detained by security personnel at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex in Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State, for allegedly stealing wires and cables from the facility. Abubakar, a JSS 2 student at Eleyele High School in Ibadan, reportedly committed the theft on Thursday night while the Shooting Star Football Club was training.

Investigations revealed that he entered the main bowl of the stadium during the training session. According to a security source, Abubakar confessed to having spent the night in one of the rooms after the security staff had secured all entrances. The source stated, “During questioning, he admitted that he stayed in one of the rooms overnight after the security officers locked the main bowl.”

An anonymous vendor at the stadium mentioned, “Upon being interrogated, the boy admitted to using a large stone to break the pipes and cut the camera cables and wires connected to the canopy lights. He intended to sell the stolen items, which are estimated to be worth around N300,000.”

It was also reported that Abubakar’s mother, who resides in the Sabo area of Mokola, fainted upon seeing her son in handcuffs. Stadium workers had to assist in reviving her. Once she regained consciousness, she mentioned that her son had misbehaved the previous night and had been punished for it.

When reached for comment, Tunde Ajibike, the General Manager of the state Sports Council, confirmed the incident. He stated that the matter had been referred to the police for further investigation.

“Yes, it’s true. The state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, visited the scene of the incident. After assessing the damage from the attempted theft, she urged the staff of the Sports Council, who manage the stadium, to enhance their vigilance. The commissioner emphasized that maintaining security at the stadium is a collective responsibility and assured that the State Government would improve the security measures at the sports complex to prevent future incidents,” Ajibike added.