Oyo Police Intercept 45,000 Litres Of Stolen Petrol, Arrest Suspects
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of three suspects concerning the hijacking of a truck carrying 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road.
In a statement on Sunday, the Oyo police spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, disclosed that the stolen product belongs to NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
According to Osifeso, the incident occurred in the early hours of April 5, 2025, when the Command’s Monitoring Unit received credible intelligence about the hijacking of a DAF truck with registration number Adamawa YLA 575 ZY.
The PPRO said the act was carried out by an armed group equipped with sophisticated firearms.
He stated that two suspects, Oyekunle Olaoluwa, 35, and Akanji Ladele (real name undisclosed), 51, were arrested at the scene.
“On April 5, 2025, at approximately 1:00 am, the command’s Monitoring Unit received actionable intelligence regarding a hijacking incident involving a DAF truck with registration number Adamawa YLA 575 ZY on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan road.
“Preliminary investigations indicated the involvement of an armed group equipped with sophisticated firearms.
“In response to this intelligence, specialised operatives from the command’s monitoring unit were swiftly activated to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Their efforts led to the discovery of the hijacked truck at the Lincoln Filling Station, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of syphoning the PMS.
“The police operatives apprehended two suspects, Oyekunle Olaoluwa, 35 years old, and Akanji Ladele (real name undisclosed), 51 years old, at the scene.”
Further investigations revealed that the hijacked truck was handed over to the duo by one Femi, said to be the mastermind of the operation.
But acting on the information, the police arrested another suspect, Basiru Azeez, 30, who confessed to partaking in the hijack and provided details of how the truck was diverted.
The command assured the public that it remained committed to dismantling criminal networks and bringing all involved to justice.
Osifeso urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station while emphasising the importance of public participation in the ongoing fight against crime.
Oyo Police Intercept 45,000 Litres Of Stolen Petrol, Arrest Suspects is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
