Oyo police highway robbery operation foils attack on tanker; one suspect arrested, others flee after shootout with security forces

The Oyo State Police Command has thwarted a highway robbery along the Ogbomoso–Ilorin Expressway, apprehending a suspected armed robber during a joint operation with local vigilantes.

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The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed that the incident occurred at Egbeda Village when a patrol team encountered robbers who had blocked the road and stopped a diesel-laden tanker driven by Surajudeen Sulaiman.

“The hoodlums forcibly dispossessed the tanker driver and his motor boys of their belongings. A gun duel ensued between the fleeing hoodlums and the police patrol team, during which one of the suspects, later identified as Dere Yahaya, aged 32, was apprehended. Other members of the gang escaped into the bush, sustaining bullet wounds,” the statement said.

Security operatives immediately launched a bush-combing operation and a manhunt to track the fleeing suspects.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Femi Haruna, commended the bravery and swift action of the officers and local security partners involved, while expressing appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, for continued guidance in strengthening highway and community policing.

The Ogbomoso–Ilorin Expressway has recently become a hotspot for auto crashes, hijackings, and armed robberies.

This arrest follows similar operations, including a February 2026 raid in Ogbomoso where police recovered goods worth ₦31.75 million from another gang.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.

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Emergencies can be reported via the Oyo State Call Response Centre toll-free line on 615 or the command’s control room numbers: 08081768614 and 07055495413.