The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen rail tracks valued at about ₦200 million in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, July 14. He said the arrests followed a timely tip-off from a vigilant member of the public.
According to Ayanlade, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit swiftly mobilised to Gambari in the Orile-Igbon area, where they intercepted the suspects at about 1:45 p.m. before the stolen railway materials could be moved to their final destination.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the railway tracks had been illegally removed from Niger State and transported into Oyo State as part of a coordinated criminal operation, with Lagos identified as the intended destination.
The suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54; Muhammed Sani, 27; and Hassan Ibrahim, 22.
Items recovered during the operation included vandalised rail tracks valued at approximately ₦200 million and a HOWO truck bearing registration number CAL 972 XA (Cross River), which was allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.
Ayanlade said investigations showed that the suspects played different roles in the syndicate, including serving as the contracted driver conveying the stolen rail tracks to Lagos, coordinating the operation, and providing temporary storage for the stolen materials in Ogbomoso before their onward movement.
He added that the suspects had made useful confessional statements and were cooperating with investigators.
The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large, recover additional exhibits linked to the operation, and conclude investigations ahead of prosecution.
Ayanlade also said the Commissioner of Police, Johnson Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the vigilant resident whose timely information led to the successful operation, describing the arrest as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and community partnership.
He urged residents to continue supporting the police and other security agencies by providing credible and timely information, assuring them that all actionable intelligence would receive a prompt operational response.
“The Commissioner further reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure and emphasised that the Oyo State Police Command will not allow the state to become a breeding ground or safe haven for criminals and other perpetrators of economic sabotage,” the statement added.
