By Emmanuel Adeleke
A 14-year-old boy, identified as Sulaiman Abubakar, has been arrested by security officers at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, for allegedly stealing cables valued at N300,000 from the main bowl of the stadium.
Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the statdium to see the damage caused by the theft.
The commissioner, who urged staff of the state’s sports council to be more vigilant, stressed that security at the stadium is the responsibility of all stakeholders.
She pledged that the state government will strengthen security at the sports complex to forestall future occurrence.
Abubakar, a JSS 2 student of Eleyele High School, Ibadan, said that he gained entrance into the main bowl of the stadium during the training session of Shooting Star Sports (3SC) club, adding that he slept in one of the rooms overnight after security officers locked all entrances into the stadium.
On interrogation, the boy stated that he broke the pipes with a big stone, and cut the camera cables as well as the wires that connect the canopy light. He explained that he plans to sell the cables and wires.
The mother of the boy, who is a resident of Sabo area of Ibadan, passed out on seeing her son in handcuff, and was revived by workers at the stadium.
She said she penalised Abubakar for offending her the previous night.
The officers at the stadium’s police post have handed over the boy to officers ar the Mokola police station for further action.