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.
The trio arrested by state operatives were identified as 19-year-old Abdulrahman Rasheed, 18-year-old Biodun Fatai, and 18-year-old Muiz Salawudeen.
In a Thursday statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the arrest was said to have taken place during a proactive stop-and-search exercise conducted by the Command’s Operations Department.
The suspects were intercepted while travelling in an unregistered tricycle, commonly known as a “Keke Maruwa.” Officers conducted a strategic search that led to the discovery of a concealed weapon.
“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,” Olayinka said.
He added that during interrogation by the Monitoring Unit, the suspects confessed to involvement in several armed robbery cases 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,” he added.
Meanwhile, the trio, along with the recovered firearm, has been handed over to the Command Monitoring Unit on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Femi Haruna, who ordered a thorough, discreet, professional, and intelligence-driven investigation.
The suspects are cooperating with the ongoing investigation, after which they will be charged in court accordingly.
The CP urged members of the public to cooperate with police operatives and provide timely, credible information, stressing that such collaboration is critical to sustaining public safety.
