The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a 60-year-old man and two others in connection with the theft of a vehicle in Ibadan, the state capital.
A statement issued on Saturday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the principal suspect, Femi Ojo, 60, was arrested alongside his accomplices, Kayode Afolabi, 49, and Olatunji Mutiu, 49, in Akure, Ondo State, where the stolen vehicle was traced.
Ayanlade said investigations revealed that Ojo, acting in concert with an accomplice still at large, sold the stolen vehicle for N700,000 to Afolabi, who subsequently resold it for N800,000 to Mutiu.
The statement read, “The Oyo State Police Command has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained campaign against vehicle theft and other organised crimes with the successful recovery of a stolen vehicle and the arrest of three suspects linked to the criminal enterprise.
“The breakthrough followed a report lodged at the Agodi Divisional Police Headquarters on Friday, July 3, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m., by one Ruben Adebayo, a 55-year-old resident of Akobo, Ibadan, who reported that his Toyota Carina E, bearing registration number GGE 488 CN, had been fraudulently stolen by a passenger he conveyed from Akobo to the Motor Spare Parts Market, Gate, Ibadan.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the principal suspect, Ojo, engaged the complainant under the guise of purchasing a vehicle engine and other spare parts.
“Upon arrival at the market, the suspect inspected various engine options and negotiated prices with traders.
“Although negotiations for the engine proved unsuccessful, he purchased a vehicle shaft and informed the complainant that he had identified another location where a suitable engine could be obtained.
“He then boarded a commercial motorcycle to the new location, directing the complainant to remain at the market with the purchased vehicle shaft pending further instructions.
“In furtherance of the criminal scheme, the suspect later telephoned the complainant and requested that he deliver the purchased vehicle shaft to the new location through a commercial motorcycle rider, explaining that doing so would be faster and more convenient.
