The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of three suspects linked to the hijacking of a truck carrying 45,000 litres of petrol (PMS) along the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan, Police Public Relations Officer Adewale Osifeso said the stolen product belonged to NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited. He explained that on April 5, 2025, around 1:00 a.m., the police received a tip-off about the hijacking of a DAF truck with registration number YLA 575 ZY, carried out by an armed group.
Acting on the intelligence, the command’s Monitoring Unit tracked the truck to Lincoln Filling Station in Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where two suspects—Oyekunle Olaoluwa (35) and Akanji Ladele (51)—were caught while trying to siphon the petrol.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a third suspect, Basiru Azeez (30), who confessed to helping plan the hijacking. He also identified another suspect named Femi as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.
The police assured the public that investigations are ongoing and efforts are being made to dismantle the criminal network. Osifeso urged residents to remain alert and report any suspicious activity, stressing the importance of community involvement in combating crime.