Police bust railway vandalism syndicate in Oyo, recover N200m stolen rail tracks
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen rail tracks valued at about N200 million during an intelligence-led operation in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.
Police said the operation was launched following a credible tip-off from a vigilant resident. Acting on the intelligence, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit intercepted the suspects at about 1:45 p.m. on 14th July, 2026, in the Gambari, Orile-Igbon area before the stolen materials could be moved to their final destination.
The suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54, Muhammed Sani, 27, and Hassan Ibrahim, 22. Recovered during the operation were vandalised railway tracks estimated to be worth N200 million and a HOWO truck with registration number CAL 972 XA (Cross River), allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.
According to preliminary investigations, the railway tracks were illegally removed from Niger State and transported into Oyo State as part of a coordinated criminal operation, with Lagos identified as the intended final destination.
Investigators also established that the suspects played different roles within the syndicate, including transporting the stolen rail tracks, coordinating the operation and providing a temporary storage location in Ogbomoso before the materials were to be moved to Lagos.
Police said the suspects have made useful confessional statements and are cooperating with investigators, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate, recover additional exhibits and conclude investigations for prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the member of the public whose timely information led to the successful operation, describing it as a testament to the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and community collaboration. He also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible information to curb criminal activities across the state.
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