Police raid Ibadan hideout, arrest five suspected robbers

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested five young men suspected of belonging to an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for a series of violent attacks in Ibadan.

The suspects, aged between 19 and 28, were apprehended at Oke Labo area of the city on Wednesday, November 11, following intelligence received by detectives from the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters.

The police identified them as Ijo Lekan, 28; Abdulateef Ishola, 26; Idowu Rasheed, 19; Azeez Olalekan, 23; and Seun Adeniran, 24.

A statement issued on Friday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer,  Ayanlade Olayinka, said the arrest was made during an operation conducted at about 11.16 am.

The operation also resulted in the recovery of a locally made pistol and seven live cartridges from the suspects.

According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the five men allegedly belonged to a robbery syndicate and admitted during interrogation to taking part in several violent attacks and other criminal activities across Ibadan.

The command said the suspects were assisting investigators with information that could lead to the arrest of other members of the gang and the recovery of further evidence.

However, some individuals believed to be connected with the syndicate are still being sought by the police.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State,  Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has ordered a thorough investigation to uncover the full operations of the gang and bring all those involved to justice.

The command also reaffirmed its resolve to tackle armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and other crimes through intelligence-driven policing.

It urged members of the public to support security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in preventing and detecting criminal activities.