The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers and recovered a firearm allegedly used in a robbery attack along the Oyo-Iwo Expressway in Afijio Local Government Area.
The Punch reported that the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, announced the development in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ibadan.
According to Ayanlade, the robbery occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, 2026, after the Police Control Room in Eleyele received a distress call that armed men had blocked the Oyo-Iwo Expressway near Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.
The assailants reportedly attacked motorists and passengers returning from a nearby market to Iwo Town, dispossessing them of their belongings. Some victims also suffered machete wounds during the operation.
Ayanlade said, “The Oyo State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its sustained efforts to rid the state of violent criminals with the arrest of two suspected armed robbers and the recovery of a firearm linked to a robbery operation along the Oyo–Iwo expressway.
“The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 5 July 2026, following a distress call received at the Police Control Room, Eleyele, Ibadan, reporting that a gang of armed robbers had barricaded the Oyo–Iwo Expressway around Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.
“The hoodlums reportedly attacked motorists and passengers travelling from a nearby market towards Iwo Town, dispossessing them of their valuables. Some victims sustained machete injuries during the attack, while others were subjected to other violent acts.”
He explained that Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, immediately deployed operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to the scene following the distress call.
He stated, “Upon receipt of the distress information, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, immediately directed operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to move to the scene. The operatives responded swiftly, secured the area, rescued the victims, and combed the scene, leading to the recovery of one single-barrel gun and two clubs believed to have been used by the criminal gang during the operation.”
The police spokesperson disclosed that intelligence-driven investigations later led detectives to the suspects’ hideouts, resulting in their arrest.
He said, “Further intelligence-driven investigation led the VCRU operatives to the hideouts of the suspects, culminating in the arrest of Abubakar Jape and Sheu Dengi.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the robbery operation. An identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which the victims positively identified them as some of the armed robbers who attacked and robbed them. A search conducted at one of their hideouts also led to the recovery of a rechargeable touchlight belonging to one of the victims.”
Ayanlade said the Commissioner of Police praised the swift response and professionalism displayed by the operatives, describing the successful operation as a reflection of the command’s commitment to combating violent crime across the state.
He added that efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the gang who remain at large, while urging residents to continue supporting security agencies with prompt and credible information.
The Oyo-Iwo Expressway is a major road linking communities in Oyo State with neighbouring Osun State and has, over the years, recorded occasional incidents of highway robbery, especially during the early hours of the day and at night.
Security agencies have recently stepped up patrols and intelligence-gathering operations along the route as part of broader measures to improve safety for motorists, traders, and other road users.
