The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen railway tracks estimated to be worth N200 million in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.
The command said the breakthrough followed a tip-off from a vigilant resident, which enabled operatives to intercept the suspects before the stolen materials could be moved out of the state.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade.
According to the statement, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit acted swiftly on credible intelligence and arrested the suspects at Gambari, Orile-Igbon, at about 1:45 p.m. on July 14, 2026.
The suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54; Muhammed Sani, 27; and Hassan Ibrahim, 22.
Recovered from the operation were vandalised railway tracks valued at approximately N200 million and a HOWO truck with registration number CAL 972 XA, registered in Cross River State, allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the railway tracks were illegally removed from Niger State and transported into Oyo State as part of a coordinated operation, with Lagos identified as the intended destination.
Further findings showed that each of the suspects played different roles in the syndicate, including transporting the stolen railway tracks, coordinating the operation and providing temporary storage for the materials in Ogbomoso before they were moved to Lagos.
“The breakthrough followed a timely tip-off from a vigilant member of the public. Acting on the credible intelligence, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit swiftly mobilised to Gambari, Orile-Igbon area of Oyo State, where they intercepted the suspects before the stolen railway materials could be moved to their final destination,” Ayanlade said.
He added that the suspects had made useful confessional statements and were cooperating with investigators.
The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large, recover additional exhibits linked to the operation and conclude investigations for prosecution.
Commending the resident whose timely information led to the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, described the feat as proof of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and community partnership.
He urged residents to continue supporting the police and other security agencies with credible and timely information.
“The Commissioner further reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure and emphasised that the Oyo State Police Command will not allow the state to become a breeding ground or safe haven for criminals and other perpetrators of economic sabotage,” the statement added.
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