The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen railway tracks valued at about ₦200 million during an intelligence-led operation in Surulere Local Government Area of the state. The operation followed a tip-off from a vigilant member of the public.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, operatives intercepted the suspects while they were transporting the vandalised railway tracks. Preliminary investigations indicate that the rail tracks were illegally removed from Niger State and were being transported to Lagos for sale as part of an organised criminal operation.
The recovered railway materials have been secured as exhibits, while the three suspects remain in police custody. Investigators are working to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate as efforts continue to dismantle the network behind the theft of critical national infrastructure.
The police described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against economic sabotage, warning that vandalising public infrastructure poses a serious threat to public safety and national development. The command also urged residents to continue providing credible information that will help security agencies combat crime across the state.
Daily Times
