The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three teenage members of a crime gang suspected of being behind a series of armed robbery incidents across the Ibadan metropolis.
In a Thursday statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the arrest took place during a proactive stop-and-search exercise by the Command’s Operations Department.
The suspects were caught while travelling in an unregistered tricycle, commonly known as “Keke Maruwa”, and were stopped by officers who conducted a strategic search, which led to the discovery of a concealed weapon.
The official statement said, “A thorough search of the tricycle led to the recovery of one locally fabricated single-barrel gun, modified into a short arm suitable for concealment. The immediate apprehension of the occupants was a direct result of the vigilance of the operatives and the effectiveness of the stop-and-search strategy.”
The police identified the three suspects as “Abdulrahman Rasheed, male, 19 years old, Biodun Fatai, male, 18 years old and Muiz Salawudeen, male, 18 years old.”
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Following their arrest, the Commissioner of Police, CP Femi Haruna, directed that the suspects and the recovered firearm be handed over to the Command Monitoring Unit, to ensure a thorough, more “discreet, professional, and intelligence-driven” investigation.
The statement reads, “During interrogation by the Monitoring Unit, the suspects confessed to having been involved in several cases of armed robbery in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo State. They further admitted to specialising in the snatching of mobile phones and motorcycles, as well as dispossessing residents of their valuables at gunpoint. These confessions confirmed the intelligence value of the initial stop-and-search operation and highlighted the importance of proactive policing in curbing violent crime.
“The suspects are currently in custody and cooperating with the ongoing investigation, after which they will be charged in court accordingly. This outcome demonstrates the synergy between frontline proactive measures and intelligence-led investigation, and reinforces the message that the Oyo State Police Command remains committed to the protection of lives and property.”
The CP urges members of the public to cooperate with Police operatives and provide timely, credible information, stressing that such collaboration remains critical to sustaining public safety.
