By ThePreview Team

 

The Oyo State Police Command says it has recorded a significant success in its efforts to curb highway criminality, following the arrest of a suspected armed robber and the disruption of a highway robbery along the Ogbomoso–Ilorin Expressway.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, said preliminary investigation revealed that a joint patrol team comprising Police operatives and local vigilantes encountered armed robbers at Egbeda Village via Ogbomoso.

Mr Olayinka, said the hoodlums had blocked the highway and stopped a tanker loaded with diesel, driven by Surajudeen Sulaiman.

He explained that the robbers forcibly dispossessed the tanker driver and his motor boys of their belongings.

“A gun duel ensued between the fleeing hoodlums and the Police patrol team, during which one of the suspects, later identified as Dere Yahaya, aged 32, was apprehended.

“Other members of the gang escaped into the bush, sustaining bullet wounds,” he said.

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Following the incident, he said the police and vigilante team embarked on intensive bush combing and a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

He said the operation underscores the command’s unwavering commitment to maintaining public safety and safeguarding lives and property along major highways in Oyo State.

According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, appreciated the bravery and quick response of the operatives and local security partners during the operation.

The police encouraged members of the public to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities promptly, and continue to collaborate with security agencies to ensure a safer environment for all.