By Adeyinka Adeniran
Detectives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested five suspected members of an armed robbery syndicate and recovered a locally made pistol alongside seven live cartridges during a raid in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects, identified as Ijo Lekan, 28; Abdulateef Ishola, 26; Idowu Rasheed, 19; Azeez Olalekan, 23; and Seun Adeniran, 24, were apprehended at the Oke Labo area of the metropolis following an intelligence-led operation by operatives attached to the Mapo Divisional Headquarters.
Confirming the development in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the operation was executed at about 11:16 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, after detectives acted on credible intelligence and searched a building in the area.
Olayinka disclosed that while the five suspects were picked up at the scene, other members of the gang managed to escape and are currently at large.
According to the police spokesman, preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects belonged to an armed robbery syndicate responsible for multiple violent attacks within the Ibadan metropolis.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of an armed robbery syndicate and admitted to participating in several violent attacks and other criminal activities within Ibadan,” Olayinka stated.
He added that the suspects were already assisting the police with vital information aimed at tracking down their fleeing accomplices and recovering additional weapons.
“They are currently cooperating with investigators, providing useful information to facilitate the identification and arrest of other members of the syndicate and the recovery of additional evidence,” the statement read.
Olayinka noted that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to uncover the full scope of the gang’s operations and ensure all culprits are brought to justice.
“In view of these developments, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has directed a comprehensive investigation to unravel the full extent of the suspects’ criminal activities, identify other members of the syndicate and ensure that all persons connected to the crimes are brought to justice,” he said.
Reiterating the Command’s determination to rid the state of illegal arms and criminal elements, the police image-maker urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and actionable intelligence, assuring them of the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Oyo State.
