The Oyo State Police Command has arrested five men over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and recovered a locally made pistol and seven live cartridges during an intelligence-led operation in the Oke Labo area of Ibadan.
The operation, conducted at about 11:16 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, followed credible intelligence received by detectives attached to the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters.
According to a statement issued on Friday, November 13, by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the detectives acted on the information by moving to the identified location and conducting a search of a building in the Oke Labo area.
The operation led to the arrest of five suspects identified as Ijo Lekan, 28; Abdulateef Ishola, 26; Idowu Rasheed, 19; Azeez Olalekan, 23; and Seun Adeniran, 24.
The police said other suspects allegedly connected to the operation were still at large, while efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend them.
Items recovered during the operation included one locally made pistol and seven live cartridges.
The command disclosed that during interrogation, the five suspects allegedly confessed to being members of an armed robbery syndicate and admitted involvement in several violent attacks and other criminal activities within Ibadan.
Police said the suspects were cooperating with investigators and providing information expected to assist in identifying other alleged members of the syndicate, recovering additional evidence and establishing the full extent of the group’s activities.
Following the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed a comprehensive investigation into the case.
The commissioner ordered detectives to establish the suspects’ alleged involvement in other criminal incidents, identify their accomplices and ensure that anyone found connected to the alleged offences is brought before the law.
The latest arrests form part of the command’s ongoing intelligence-led operations against armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and other violent crimes across Oyo State.
The police have continued to rely on intelligence gathering, surveillance and information from residents to identify suspected criminal hideouts and disrupt criminal activities.
The command urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and apprehending suspects.
Residents were also assured of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
For emergencies, residents can contact the Oyo State Call Response Centre through its toll-free number, 615, or the Oyo State Police Command Control Room on 08081768614 and 07055495413.
The five suspects remain under investigation. Their alleged confessions and involvement in criminal activities have not yet been tested in court, and they are entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
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