Police Arrest Three Suspects Over Hijacking of Petrol-Laden Truck in Oyo
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of three suspects in connection with the hijacking of a truck transporting 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly referred to as petrol, along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode road.
According to a statement released in Ibadan on Sunday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, the stolen petroleum product belongs to NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited. The arrested individuals have been identified as 35-year-old Oyekunle Olaoluwa, a 51-year-old man known as Akanji Ladele (real name undisclosed), and 30-year-old Basiru Azeez, who was revealed to be the mastermind behind the hijack and subsequent diversion of the truck.
Osifeso explained that the incident occurred on April 5, 2025, at around 1:00 a.m., when the command’s monitoring unit received credible intelligence about a hijacking involving a DAF truck with registration number YLA 575 ZY (Adamawa). The report indicated that a group of armed men, wielding sophisticated weapons, had taken control of the truck on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan route.
In response, the command deployed a specialized team from its monitoring unit to investigate the situation. Their swift action led to the discovery of the hijacked vehicle at Lincoln Filling Station, located in Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of siphoning the fuel.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed that the truck was handed over to them by an individual named Femi, who they claimed orchestrated the entire operation. This led to the arrest of Basiru Azeez, who has since confessed to playing a central role in the hijacking and diversion of the truck.
The police spokesperson reassured the public that thorough investigations are ongoing to dismantle the criminal network involved in the hijacking. He further emphasized the importance of public cooperation in the fight against crime and urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
