By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers and recovered a firearm following a robbery operation along the Oyo–Iwo Expressway.
The suspects, identified as Abubakar Jape and Sheu Dengi, were apprehended by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) following a robbery incident in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, 2026.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the police control room in Eleyele, Ibadan, had received a distress call that a gang of armed robbers had barricaded the highway around Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.
The hoodlums reportedly attacked motorists and passengers traveling from a nearby market toward Iwo Town, dispossessing them of their valuables.
The police noted that some victims sustained machete injuries while others were subjected to various forms of violence during the assault.
“Upon receiving the information, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, deployed VCRU operatives to the scene. The team secured the area, rescued the victims, and recovered one single-barrel gun and two clubs left behind by the fleeing criminals.
“Subsequent investigations led the operatives to the hideouts of the suspects, where Jape and Dengi were arrested”, the statement read in part.
The police stated that the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation and were later positively identified by the victims during an identification parade.
He added that, a search of the hideout also turned up a rechargeable torchlight belonging to one of the victims.
“The Commissioner of Police commended the track team for their prompt response and assured residents that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining members of the gang.
“He also urged the public to remain vigilant and continue partnering with the police by sharing timely information to help sustain security across the state”, Ayanlade added.
