By Deborah Nnamdi
The Oyo State Police Command on Sunday announced the arrest of three individuals linked to the hijacking of a truck carrying 45,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (commonly known as petrol) along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road.
According to a statement issued in Ibadan by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, the recovered fuel consignment is owned by NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
He said, “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 the Lincoln Filling Station, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of siphoning the PMS.
“The police operatives apprehended two suspects, Oyekunle Olaoluwa, 35 years, and Akanji Ladele (real name undisclosed), 51 years, at the scene.”
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,” the statement added.
The police assured the public that investigations are ongoing and will be pursued thoroughly, with a focus on uncovering the entire criminal network and ensuring all those responsible are brought to justice.
The Police Public Relations Officer also urged residents to remain alert and promptly report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station, stressing that community involvement is crucial to the command’s united fight against crime.
