BAYO AKAMO , Ibadan
Oyo State Police Command has arrested five members of a notorious criminal gang specializing in hijacking and diversion of goods over alleged stealing of 69 cartons of Rothmans Cigarettes, belonging to a tobacco company in Ibadan.
This was made known to newsmen in Ibadan over the weekend, by the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adewale Osifeso in a statement on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams.
According to Oyo State Police Command, the arrested members of the notorious criminal gang identified as Abubakar Suleiman, Mamuda Abubakar, Almustapha Samaila and Jemilu Garuba and Badiru Ali were arrested in Sokoto, Kano and Ibadan.
The statement stressed that the members of the criminal gang on 6th September, 2022 at about 20000hrs, “invaded LAYLAND YARD located at Iyana Church area, Ibadan, attacked the Driver of a DAF Truck with registration number LSD 742 XK loaded with 1,100 of ROTHMANS Cigarette belonging to a Tobacco Company, Ibadan with guns and other dangerous weapons
Oyo Police command noted that the incident was later reported to the state Commissioner of Police, upon which the Command’s Monitoring Unit were immediately detailed to hunt down the armed robbers and recover the diverted goods.
The statement stressed, ” sequel to this directive, a team of Police operatives attached to the Monitoring Unit swung into action and after a discreet investigation, four suspects who later identified themselves as follows; Abubakar Suleiman, Mamuda Abubakar, Almustapha Samaila and Jemilu Garuba were arrested in their respective hideouts in Sokoto and Kano states while the kingpin of the criminal syndicate who gave his name as Alhaji Basiru Ali was arrested in Sabo Area in Ibadan metropolis
” In all, about 69 Cartons of the diverted cigarette were recovered from the arrested suspects who have since voluntarily confessed to the crime.Investigation continues and further developments will be communicated in due course”.it added.
