Police Arrest Three Suspects Over ₦200m Railway Track Theft in Oyo

(The suspects. Photo Credit: Punch News)

The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen rail tracks valued at approximately N200 million within Surulere Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed that the arrests followed a timely tip-off from a vigilant member of the public.

Acting on the credible intelligence received, operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit swiftly mobilised to Gambari, Orile-Igbon area of Oyo State, where they intercepted the suspects on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at about 1:45 p.m., before the stolen railway materials could be moved to their intended destination.

The suspects were identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54; Muhammed Sani, 27; and Hassan Ibrahim, 22, all arrested in connection with the illegal transportation of vandalised railway tracks.

Items recovered during the operation included vandalised rail tracks estimated at ₦200 million and a HOWO truck bearing registration number CAL 972 XA (Cross River), which was allegedly used to convey the stolen materials.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the railway tracks had been unlawfully removed from Niger State and transported into Oyo State as part of a coordinated criminal operation, with Lagos serving as the intended final destination.

Further findings established that the arrested suspects played distinct roles within the syndicate one served as the contracted driver responsible for conveying the stolen railway tracks to Lagos another functioned as a co-conspirator coordinating the operation.

While the third acted as a temporary receiver who provided a storage location in Ogbomoso pending the clandestine movement of the stolen materials to their final destination.

Ayanlade noted that the suspects had each made useful confessional statements and were cooperating with investigators, adding that efforts remained ongoing to track down other members of the syndicate still at large, recover additional exhibits linked to the operation, and conclude investigations ahead of prosecution.

He further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the vigilant member of the public whose timely information led to the success of the operation, describing it as a demonstration of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and community partnership.

The CP urged residents to continue supporting the police and other security agencies with credible and timely information, assuring them that every actionable tip would receive a prompt operational response.

He also reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure, stressing that the Oyo State Police Command would not allow the state to become a breeding ground or safe haven for criminals and other perpetrators of economic sabotage.