Police catch six suspected robbers in Oyo, seize five guns

The Oyo State Police have arrested six suspected armed robbers after a five-week operation in Ibadan. They also recovered five guns, some ammunition, and four cutlasses during the operation.

The suspects were caught at a hideout in Ibadan around 4:15 am on Saturday, October 10, 2026. This followed close monitoring and intelligence work, as stated by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, on Monday.

The statement said, "The Oyo State Police Command has arrested six suspected armed robbers following a five-week intelligence-gathering operation and sustained manhunt that culminated in their arrest at a hideout in Ibadan in the early hours of Saturday, 10th October 2026, at about 0415 hours."

The operation was based on careful intelligence gathering and surveillance by the police. They had been watching the gang's activities before moving in to arrest them. The suspects have been identified as follows:

1. Yusuf Adeyemi, male, 39, from Esu Awele area, Ibadan.
2. Isiaka Kayode, male, 40, from Odinjo area, Ibadan.
3. Yusuf Basiru, male, 35, from Oja Oba, behind the Central Mosque, Ibadan.
4. Adewale Lawal, male, 38, from Orita Aperin, Ibadan.
5. Saheed Lateef, male, 36, from Orita Aperin, Ibadan.
6. Idowu Olanrewaju, male, 42, from Olohunda, Akanran area, Ibadan.

The police reported that the operation resulted in the recovery of various firearms. These include a fabricated English-made pistol, a revolver pistol, a pump-action gun, a locally made cut-to-size gun, and another locally made pistol. They also found five live cartridges and four cutlasses.

The statement added, "A search conducted in the course of the operation led to the recovery of five firearms, comprising one fabricated English-made pistol, one revolver pistol, one pump-action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and one locally made pistol. Five live cartridges and four cutlasses were also recovered as exhibits."

According to the statement, the suspects allegedly admitted during questioning that they belong to a gang terrorising people in Ibadan and nearby areas.

"Furthermore, during interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of a criminal gang responsible for terrorising residents of Ibadan and its environs. Their confessions form part of the ongoing investigation aimed at uncovering the full extent of the gang’s criminal activities and identifying any other individuals connected to its operations."

The police are continuing their investigations to find out if the suspects were involved in other crimes and if they are linked to more armed robbery cases in the state.

"Consequently, the suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue to establish their involvement in other criminal incidents and determine their possible connection to additional cases of armed robbery within the state," the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, assured that the police are committed to operations based on intelligence against armed robbery and other violent crimes. He also called on residents to share useful information to help the police tackle crime.