Police arrest three suspected armed robbers, recover locally made pistol in Oyo

By Imisioluwa Afunmiso

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected armed robbers and recovered a locally fabricated pistol and other dangerous weapons during an intelligence-led operation in Ibadan.

The suspects were apprehended on Monday by operatives attached to the Oluyole Divisional Headquarters while conducting a routine stop-and-search operation around the Rhema Bridge axis of Oluyole, Ibadan.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the operatives intercepted a Bajaj motorcycle conveying the three suspects after observing suspicious movements.

He disclosed that a search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of a cut-to-size locally fabricated pistol and an axe concealed inside a black school bag.

The suspects were immediately taken into custody, while the recovered exhibits were secured for further investigation.

The police spokesperson said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of the Aiye and Eiye cult groups and had confessed to participating in a series of violent crimes, including armed robbery.

He added that the Command has intensified investigations to determine the full extent of the suspects’ involvement in armed robbery, cultism and other criminal activities, while efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the criminal network.

Commenting on the arrest, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the vigilance and professionalism of the operatives, noting that their swift action prevented what could have resulted in violent criminal attacks.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing, sustained visibility patrols and strategic stop-and-search operations aimed at denying criminal elements safe haven in the state.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the police by promptly reporting suspicious persons and activities through the appropriate security channels.