NIGERIA: Oyo Police Bust Truck-Hijacking Syndicate, Recover Stolen Sino Howo

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in hijacking, diverting and stealing trucks from drivers in Oyo State and neighbouring states.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka.

According to the statement , the suspects were also allegedly responsible for moving stolen trucks to criminal receivers in Kwara State.

The Command said the suspects were arrested following actionable intelligence and a tip-off that the syndicate would operate along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on August 24, 2026.

Acting on the information, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU, conducted an intelligence-led stop-and-search operation along the expressway and intercepted a white SINO HOWO truck.

Two suspects, identified as Ojedokun Olakunle Isaac, a motor boy attached to the truck driver, and his accomplice, Ajuwon Ismail, were arrested.

The Command said the truck’s back body, or bucket, had already been removed and the vehicle was being driven towards the Ogbomoso-Ilorin axis for delivery to a suspected criminal receiver.

During interrogation, Ojedokun allegedly confessed to masterminding the hijacking of the truck from his master along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

His confession reportedly provided leads that enabled police operatives to track and arrest two other suspected members of the syndicate, identified as Adekunle Sunday and Rasheed Music.

Police said Adekunle routinely served as the syndicate’s designated driver whenever a truck was hijacked, while Rasheed allegedly specialised in removing vehicle trackers and other electronic devices used to identify and locate stolen trucks.

The Command said further investigation showed that the syndicate hijacked the truck at about 11pm on August 24 and diverted it towards the Ogbomoso-Ilorin axis for onward sale.

The intervention of the VCRU operatives disrupted the operation and led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle.

Police said efforts are ongoing to recover the detached back body of the truck and arrest other members of the syndicate who remain at large.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended members of the public for providing timely information that contributed to the operation.

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and the dismantling of criminal networks across the state.

The Command also urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies to enhance the safety and security of communities across Oyo State.