Adebowale also accused the officers of killing his brother’s turkey and his sister’s dog during their raid in his community.

Seketi Adebowale, owner of the shop in Ondo State where police officers were caught on CCTV camera stealing phones, has accused the officers of deliberately breaking into his shop and stealing customers’ phones.

Adebowale also accused the officers of killing his brother’s turkey and his sister’s dog during their raid in his community.

He insisted that the officers intentionally targeted his shop and others, claiming they forcefully entered despite no threats in the area. 

He also dismissed claims by the spokespersons of the Ondo, Lagos and Delta state police commands that the officers took the phones for safekeeping.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that police spokespersons in Lagos and Delta states defended the officers caught on CCTV stealing mobile phones from Adebowale’s shop.

SaharaReporters reported on Sunday how police officers from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Nigeria Police Force were caught on CCTV stealing mobile phones from a shop in Idogun, Ose Local Government Area of the state.

The incident occurred on March 22, 2025, during a period of heightened tension in the community.

“I’m from that community. My shop is located in that community. It is a barbing shop. In December 2024, I installed solar lights worth N1.6 million at my shop,” Adebowale stated.

According to him, his shop, which also serves as a phone charging centre due to the area's lack of electricity, was broken into by officers who only took phones while leaving other valuables like his solar setup untouched.

“Truly, there is unrest in the community, but nothing happened to my shop. The police officers were the ones who came and broke the door of my shop,” he said.

He challenged the police authorities to explain how the officers knew there were phones inside if the shop was locked. 

“Is it only one phone? In the two videos I have, the first person kept it, but the third person took them,” he said.

When asked if the police had returned the phones, Adebowale said no, alleging, “The Ondo State PPRO called me this morning, and I challenged him that they are covering up what their officers did.”

He further revealed that apart from looting his shop, the officers also killed his brother’s turkey and sister’s dog and took the animals away.

“They destroyed a lot of things. The issue is that they are not telling the truth. All the grown men in my village had already run into the bush before the police officers came. 

“By that Friday night, there was no man around, yet they still broke into houses and smashed glasses,” he stated.

Adebowale recounted how he initially forgot about his CCTV camera but was reminded by a friend to check it after hearing reports of officers breaking into shops.

“I checked on Saturday morning, and they had not broken into the shop yet. About an hour later, I heard a sound on my phone, quickly opened the camera, and saw that they had broken in,” he explained.

He said the authorities recalled the officers only after the video went viral. 

“If they are claiming that they kept the phones for me, did I ask them to break into my shop? Nobody was in the shop or the community. It was only the police that carried out the act,” he said.

Adebowale also noted that another shop used for phone charging was raided similarly, with all the devices taken. 

“The only difference is that I have evidence,” he added.

Following the incident, he expressed concern for his safety, stating that if anything happened to him, the police should be held responsible.

“I have not received any threat yet, but I know I will. If the officers had done what they were sent to do—make peace in the community—these things wouldn’t have happened,” he lamented.

Adebowale said he had worked tirelessly through various manual jobs, including bricklaying and carpentry, to establish his shop. 

“I graduated in 2009 but have never worked with my certificate. I have been doing labour work. Why will they come to destroy my properties or make me have debt on my neck?” he asked.

As of press time, the police had not returned any of the items stolen from Adebowale’s shop by officers to him.

VIDEO: Nigerian Police Officers Caught On CCTV Stealing Phones From Ondo Shop Amid Community Unrest pic.twitter.com/rpwlwDcat5

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 23, 2025