Police arrest three suspected robbers, recover stolen vehicle in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a vehicle theft and armed robbery syndicate during separate intelligence-led operations in Abeokuta and its environs.

The suspects, identified as Ismaila Israel Sokunbi, 38; Kayode Adeyemi, 37; and Kola Taiwo, 55, were arrested in connection with armed robbery and vehicle theft cases, while a stolen Toyota Corolla was recovered.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday.

According to him, operatives attached to Obantoko Division responded to a distress call on May 22, 2026, following an attempted armed robbery at Oniyo Community, Arokoje, Obantoko, Abeokuta.

He said armed men had attempted to dispossess a resident of his vehicle while he was opening the gate to his residence.

He stated, “The victim raised an alarm, attracting neighbours to the scene. In the ensuing struggle, the suspects lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fence. As operatives closed in, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled in a standby vehicle.

“During their escape, one suspect dropped an Infinix mobile phone and a Wema Bank ATM card, which were recovered as exhibits.”

The police spokesman explained that detectives of the Anti-Robbery Squad carried out telecommunications analysis on the recovered items, leading to the identification of Sokunbi as a principal suspect linked to Adeyemi, who was described as the syndicate’s kingpin.

Sokunbi was subsequently arrested on May 26 within the Oke-Jigbo and Isale Abese areas of Abeokuta.

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A search conducted at his residence reportedly led to the recovery of several items, including a ceiling fan, gas cooker, SIM cards, suspected charms, mechanical tools, a commercial gas-filling hose and cooking pots.

Babaseyi said further investigation by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, led to the arrest of Adeyemi in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The suspects allegedly confessed to the attempted robbery and admitted belonging to a syndicate involved in multiple vehicle thefts across Abeokuta and neighbouring communities.

In a related development, the police said operatives of the Anti-Robbery Squad also arrested Taiwo in connection with the theft of a Toyota Corolla reported stolen at Osiele on May 18.

The suspect was also said to have confessed to the theft of a green Toyota Camry in an earlier operation.

Babaseyi said efforts were ongoing to recover additional stolen vehicles and arrest other members of the syndicate.

The suspects remain in police custody and will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the operatives for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach.

He reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling violent crime and vehicle theft across the state and urged residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies.