Oyo State Police Command, on Sunday, confirmed the arrest of the three suspected armed robbers in connection with the hijacking of a truck loaded with 45,000 litres of the Premium Motor Spirits popularly known as petrol on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode road.
A statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, in Ibadan, the state capital, said the recovered product belongs to NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
He named the suspects as Oyekunle Olaoluwa, 35 years, and Akanji Ladele (real name undisclosed), 51 years, and Basiru Azeez, 30, who was the brain behind the hijack and subsequent diversion.
The PPRO further stated, “On April 5, 2025, at approximately 1:00 am, the command’s monitoring unit received actionable intelligence regarding a hijacking incident involving a DAF truck with registration number Adamawa YLA 575 ZY on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan road. Preliminary investigations indicated the involvement of an armed group equipped with sophisticated firearms.
“In response to this intelligence, specialized operatives from the command’s monitoring unit were swiftly activated to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Their efforts led to the discovery of the hijacked truck at Lincoln Filling station, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of siphoning the PMS.”
Osifeso explained that during preliminary investigations, the suspects disclosed that the hijacked truck was transferred to them by a third individual known as Femi, who allegedly masterminded the hijacking alongside his accomplices.
“This revelation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of Basiru Azeez, 30, a pivotal figure in the operation who has since confessed to his role in orchestrating the hijacking and provided details on how the truck was diverted after the crime,” he added.
The police then assured the public that investigations would continue diligently, focusing on dismantling the criminal network and holding all individuals involved accountable for their actions.
The PPRO, therefore, charged members of the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to the local police, emphasizing that active participation is vital to the command’s collective effort in fighting against crime.
