Police arrest suspected gun dealer in Oyo, recover weapon and drugs

Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested a man named Hammed Lateef. He is suspected of being a gun dealer. They also found a locally made pistol, live ammunition, and suspected illegal drugs during a stop-and-search operation in Ibadan.

The operation took place on Saturday night along Oshuntokun Avenue in the Bodija area of Ibadan North Local Government Area.

Ayanlade Olayinka, who is the spokesperson for the Command, said that two other suspects managed to escape and are being tracked down.

The police stopped three men riding on a Bajaj motorcycle with the registration number DTN 678 QA at about 9:30 PM. This was part of a routine stop-and-search exercise based on intelligence.

While the officers approached, one of the men threw a bag into a nearby drainage. The other two fled the scene with the motorcycle.

“During the search, one of the suspects threw a small bag into a nearby drainage, while two others fled the scene with the motorcycle. The third suspect, Hammed Lateef, was arrested,” Mr Olayinka said.

When the police searched the discarded bag, they found a locally made pistol, one live cartridge, sachets containing substances believed to be Tramadol, and a passport photograph thought to belong to one of the suspects that got away.

The police said they have started investigations to find out who owns the recovered items. They want to see if the suspects are connected to other crimes in and outside the state.

The police are also working to identify and catch the two suspects who ran away.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, stressed that the command is committed to active policing. He encouraged residents to keep supporting law enforcement with reliable and timely information.