Oyo Police arrest three suspects over deadly Ibadan armed robbery

Crime Diary

IBADAN, Nigeria (NPA) — The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for a deadly attack at Wofun Olodo area of Ibadan, during which a 44-year-old woman, Mrs Wahab Rukayat, was killed and other victims sustained serious injuries.

In a statement issued on Oct. 3, 2026, and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the command said the incident occurred on Aug. 4 at about 2:30 a.m., when armed robbers attacked the residence of Alhaji Olatokunbo in the Wofun Olodo area of Ibadan.

The police said the attackers killed Olatokunbo’s wife, Wahab Rukayat, during the operation, while other occupants of the residence sustained serious injuries.

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The robbers also allegedly stole several mobile phones, wristwatches, $400 and other valuables estimated at about N3.493 million at gunpoint.

Following the report, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed that the case be transferred to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for further investigation and the arrest of those responsible.

The VCRU subsequently commenced an intelligence-led investigation, using sustained intelligence gathering and technology to develop leads on the suspects.

The police said that on Oct. 2 at about 9 p.m., operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected criminal hideout in the Sabo area of Ibadan and arrested three suspects.

The suspects were identified as Akinrinola Oluwatobi, 28; Okunola Mathew, 24; and Ibrahim Rabiu, 23.

According to the police, one iPhone 7 Plus belonging to a victim of the Wofun Olodo robbery was recovered from the suspects.

The command said an identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which surviving victims identified the suspects as members of the gang that attacked the residence on Aug. 4.

The police also said the suspects allegedly confessed to their involvement in the robbery and described the roles they played during the operation.

According to the command, the suspects admitted participating in the attack, stealing valuables worth about N3.493 million and killing Rukayat during the operation.

The suspects also allegedly confessed to involvement in other robbery incidents around the Wofun Olodo and Akobo areas of Ibadan, providing additional leads for the ongoing investigation.

The Commissioner of Police directed the VCRU and other relevant units to intensify efforts to arrest other members of the gang still at large, as well as persons suspected of receiving or disposing of proceeds of their alleged criminal activities.

The command said it would continue to deploy intelligence, technology, professional investigation and community partnerships in the fight against violent crime across the state.

Olugbenga also urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to the police, stressing that such information remained critical to the prevention, detection and investigation of crime.