Police nab two suspected robbers, seize gun in Oyo State

The Oyo State Police have arrested two men suspected of armed robbery. They also recovered a gun said to be used in a robbery along the Oyo-Iwo Expressway in Afijio Local Government Area.

DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the command’s spokesperson, shared this news in a statement on Tuesday in Ibadan.

Ayanlade explained that the robbery happened in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, 2026. The Police Control Room at Eleyele got a distress call about armed robbers blocking the highway near Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.

The robbers attacked motorists and passengers coming from a nearby market heading towards Iwo town. Some victims suffered machete injuries during the attack.

The statement said, "The Oyo State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its sustained efforts to rid the state of violent criminals with the arrest of two suspected armed robbers and the recovery of a firearm linked to a robbery operation along the Oyo-Iwo expressway.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 5 July 2026, following a distress call received at the Police Control Room, Eleyele, Ibadan, reporting that a gang of armed robbers had barricaded the Oyo-Iwo Expressway around Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.

“The hoodlums reportedly attacked motorists and passengers travelling from a nearby market towards Iwo Town, dispossessing them of their valuables. Some victims sustained machete injuries during the attack, while others were subjected to other violent acts."

Ayanlade mentioned that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, quickly ordered the Violent Crime Response Unit to handle the situation.

He stated, "Upon receipt of the distress information, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, immediately directed operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to move to the scene. The operatives responded swiftly, secured the area, rescued the victims, and combed the scene, leading to the recovery of one single-barrel gun and two clubs believed to have been used by the criminal gang during the operation."

The police spokesman added that investigations based on intelligence led officers to the suspects’ hideouts.

Ayanlade said, "Further intelligence-driven investigation led the VCRU operatives to the hideouts of the suspects, culminating in the arrest of Abubakar Jape and Sheu Dengi.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the robbery operation. An identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which the victims positively identified them as some of the armed robbers who attacked and robbed them. A search conducted at one of their hideouts also led to the recovery of a rechargeable touchlight belonging to one of the victims."

The Commissioner of Police praised the officers for their quick action. He said the arrest shows the command’s commitment to fighting violent crime in the state.

He assured residents that they are still working to catch other gang members who are still free. He also urged the public to keep sharing useful information with security agencies.

The Oyo-Iwo Expressway is a key road connecting communities in Oyo State and neighbouring Osun State. There have been reports of highway robbery, especially in the early morning and late-night hours.

Security agencies have stepped up patrols and intelligence work along this road in recent months to fight violent crime and make it safer for motorists and traders.