The Oyo State Police Command on Monday, said it arrested no fewer than 21 suspected criminals and armed robbers terrorising residents of Ibadan and other towns in the state between January and March.
The 21 suspects, according to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, who addressed journalists during the parade of the suspects, would soon be charged to court for prosecution immediately after investigations have been concluded.
Some of the armed robbery suspects included a prime suspect, Gabriel Olatunji (m), and four criminal receivers, Lekan Ajayi (m), Ismail Ogunsola (m), Akin Alonso (m), and Tope Ezekiel (m).
Olukolu said the command was poised to nip in the bud activities of criminal elements.
He added that the arrest of the 21 armed robbery suspects was part of the efforts to stamp out crimes and criminality in the state.
Items recovered from the suspects, according to him included exotic vehicles, mobile phones, motorcycles, tricycles, locally made pistols, live cartridges, cutlasses, criminal charms, axes, ATM card, driver’s license and the sum of twelve thousand five hundred and fifty naira cash.
The cars included a Honda Accord car with registration number MUS 481, Toyota Camry car with registration number LSR 514 EH, Toyota Camry car with registration number FE 379 LND, Toyota Camry car with registration number KJA 747 BH and Honda Bull Dog car with registration number KEY 827 ET.
Olukolu said, “Sequel to this, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives led by CSP Olusola Aremu swung into action and this led to the recovery of the truck with 18 out of the 22 tricycles at Sagamu in Ogun State”.
According to him, on March 17, 2019, around 9.30 pm, one Saidi Eniola, was attacked and dispossessed of his Toyota Camry car at Iyana Church area of Ibadan by some unknown hoodlums armed with guns and some other dangerous weapons and consequent upon this, a distress call with put across to the police who later arrested the prime suspect and four criminal receivers.
Olukolu while narrating how his men arrested two prime suspects, Adeleke Fatai (m), and Opoola Muritala (m), and others in Oyo town said that some hoodlums who specialised in attacking motorcyclists and dispossessing them of their motorcycles in different part of Oyo state were arrested by his men.
He said, “Sequel to a distress call, a team of SARS operatives led by CSP Sola Aremu swung into action and in the process, two of the hoodlums who later identified themselves as Adeleke Fatai and Opoola Garuba were arrested in their hideout.
“Upon interrogation, they confessed to have masterminded series of such criminal activities in various parts of Oyo state. The confessional statement later led to the arrest of four of their criminal receivers.
“Meanwhile, five Bajaj motorcycles which they confessed to have snatched from their owners were recovered from the hoodlums and the criminal receivers.”
