*Parades 38 suspected criminals, recovers firearms, ammunition, others
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Police Command is determined to ensure that the people of the state are well secured during the Yuletide.”
The state Commissioner of Police CP Adebola Hamzat made this known at the weekend, while parading 38 suspected criminals arrested for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy, and other crimes.
CP Hamzat while briefing journalists at the Oyo State Police Command Headquarters,in Ibadan through the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) SP Osifeso Adewale said the suspects were arrested through the efforts of police tactical teams with the support of other security agencies and members of the public.
“On 31st July, 2023 at about 2045hrs, members of an inter-state car-snatching armed robbery syndicate who have been terrorizing members of the public in Oyo town and its environs intercepted one Ayinde ‘m’ at Fola-Tyre area of Oyo town while returning home from office and in the process, the notorious men of the underworld who were reportedly armed with AK-47 Riffle and Locally made Pistols dispossessed him of his Toyota Camry Car Aka big daddy with REG NO ABUJA RBC 979 EA and some other valuable items”, he said
CP Hamzat added, “The daredevil armed robbers fired gunshots sporadically into the air while fleeing from the scene of crime and this followed a distress call to operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit who moved swiftly to the area but the armed robbers managed to escape.”
” Operatives of the Monitoring Unit subsequently embarked on Discreet Human Intelligence Gathering with intent to crack down on members of the criminal cartel who have masterminded series of other armed robbery operations at different locations in Oyo State.”
He stressed further, ” Consequent upon ” intensive and discreet intelligence gathering’’, the suspected leader of the car snatching criminal syndicate later identified as Olajide Gabriel and one other member of the criminal cartel, a citizen of Benin Republic who gave his name as Monday Agammo were arrested in connection with the crimes.”
CP Hamzat maintained that “Upon interrogations, the duo confessed to the crime and many other armed robbery operations in which the following exotic vehicles; Three Toyota Corolla Cars, One Toyota Camry Car (Big Daddy) and one Toyota Camry Car (Muscle) from their owners at Ojoo area along Ibadan/Oyo expressway between May and July, 2023.”
According to the Commissioner of Police, “The suspects claimed that all the robbed vehicles have been handed over to their criminal receiver who is now at large” adding, ” However, two other suspects, Olabode Imole and Adeoye Abiodun who received other valuable items such as Expensive Laptops and Mobile phones and Gold Jewelries were equally arrested.”
Identifying the arrested suspects as Olajide Gabriel, Monday Agammo, Olabode Imole, Adeoye Abiodun, he said “One AK-47 Rifle, Forty-Two (42) AK 47-Live Ammunitions, Two Locally made Pistols and Eight Live Cartridges which they used for the nefarious criminal activities were recovered from the suspects during their arrest at the said hideout.”
Emphasizing that “Investigation is ongoing to crack the criminal network and other stolen vehicles by the gang”, adding, “Exhibits recovered from the suspects are one AK-47 Riffle, forty two (42) Ak-47 ammunition, two locally made pistols, eight live cartridges, one Samsung phone, one Toyota Camry Car with registration number KTU 87 EA”.
He then disclosed that the suspects will be charged to court upon the completion of the ongoing investigations.
