The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen railway tracks valued at approximately ₦200 million in a major operation against the vandalisation of critical national infrastructure. The breakthrough followed a tip-off from a vigilant member of the public.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit acted on credible intelligence and intercepted the suspects on July 14, 2026, at about 1:45 p.m. in the Gambari, Orile-Igbon area of Oyo State before the stolen railway materials could be moved to their final destination.
The suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde (54), Muhammed Sani (27) and Hassan Ibrahim (22). Police also recovered vandalised railway tracks estimated to be worth ₦200 million, along with a HOWO truck bearing registration number CAL 972 XA (Cross River), 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, with Lagos as the intended destination.
Investigators further disclosed that each suspect played a distinct role in the criminal operation, including transporting the stolen railway tracks, coordinating the movement and providing temporary storage for the materials in Ogbomoso before their planned transfer to Lagos. The suspects have reportedly made useful statements, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate and recover additional exhibits.
The Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the resident whose timely information led to the successful operation and urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure and warned that Oyo State would not become a safe haven for criminals involved in economic sabotage.
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