The Oyo State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against vandalism and economic sabotage with the arrest of three suspected members of a railway theft syndicate and the recovery of rail tracks valued at about N200 million.
The suspects were arrested during an intelligence-led operation in the Gambari area of Orile-Igbon, Surulere Local Government Area, following information provided by a concerned citizen.
According to the command, officers attached to the Monitoring Unit swiftly acted on the tip-off and intercepted the suspects before the stolen railway materials could be transported out of the state.
The arrested suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54, Muhammed Sani, 27, and Hassan Ibrahim, 22.
Police also recovered a large quantity of vandalised railway tracks estimated to be worth N200 million, as well as a HOWO truck bearing registration number CAL 972 XA, which was allegedly being used to convey the stolen items.
The command said preliminary investigations revealed that the rail tracks were illegally removed from railway facilities in Niger State and transported into Oyo as part of a coordinated operation aimed at moving them to Lagos.
Investigators further established that the suspects allegedly played various roles in the syndicate, including transportation, logistics coordination and temporary storage of the stolen materials.
Spokesperson for the command, CSP Adewale Osifeso, said the suspects had made useful statements that were helping investigators unravel the activities of the criminal network.
He added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate who remain at large and to recover additional exhibits linked to the operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the resident whose timely information led to the successful operation, noting that the arrest underscored the value of community participation in crime prevention.
He called on residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely information, assuring them that actionable intelligence would be treated with urgency.
Abimbola also reiterated the command’s resolve to protect critical national assets and infrastructure, warning that individuals involved in vandalism and other forms of economic sabotage would face the full weight of the law.
He stressed that the police would continue to intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating within and beyond the state.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
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