Four men have been arrested by police operatives for allegedly possessing stolen telecommunications power equipment during a routine stop-and-search operation in the Irepo area along the Oyo–Ogbomoso Expressway, Oyo State.
In a statement on Tuesday, Oyo Police Command spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka identified the suspects as Jimoh Mufutau (35), of Mowe-Ibafo Area, Ogun State; Saheed Akanbi (34), of Onipanu Area, Lagos State; Lateef Ibrahim (37), of Igando Area, Lagos State; and Lukman Jimoh (38), of Isheri/Berger Area, Lagos State.
The suspects were apprehended while transporting four hybrid solar batteries, valued at approximately N8 million, in an ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number EPE 992 KH. During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to stealing the items from a telecommunications facility in Offa, Kwara State, and were attempting to move them to an undisclosed location.
Olayinka added that the recovered batteries and the vehicle have been taken into police custody as exhibits, while further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the suspects’ activities and to identify other members of the syndicate.
Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the operatives’ vigilance and professionalism, noting that their proactive efforts led to the arrests. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and ensuring that criminal elements have no safe haven in Oyo State.
The Commissioner also urged the public to remain vigilant and to provide timely, credible information to the police, emphasizing that community partnership is essential in the fight against crime. The Oyo State Police Command remains resolute in its mission to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure, and to bring offenders to justice, Olayinka concluded.
