The Oyo State commissioner of Police, CP Shina Olukolu, Monday,  paraded not fewer than 21 suspected criminals and armed robbers  terrorizing residents of Ibadan and other towns in the state between  January and March.

According to him, “This is part of the efforts of Oyo State Police Command to stamp out  crimes and criminality in the state”.

CP Olukolu also called on the people of the state to be conscious  of their environment while attending to strange situations at night.

Hinting on the need for environmental consciousness, the commissioner of  Police ,CP Shina cited  the case of a woman who was trailed  from Bodija  in Ibadan with Lexus Jeep  to Agodi government  secretariat, unknown to  her that some hoodlums are on her trail, according to him, when the  victim parked her car went straight to  her office, the hoodlums gained  entranced to  the car and made  away with some of her items, but luck  ran out on them as a security guard on duty raised alarm that attracted  the men of the SARS operatives swung in to action and  arrested two  suspects while one is at large.

While addressing Journalista during the parade of the suspects , the Commissioner of Police  said the alleged 21 suspects, would soon be charged to  court for prosecution immediately after investigations have been  concluded.

Some of the armed robbery suspects included a prime suspect, Gabriel  Olatunji (m), and four criminal receivers, Lekan Ajayi (m), Ismail  Ogunsola (m), Akin Alonso (m), and Tope Ezekiel (m). Olukolu said the command was poised to nip in the bud activities of criminal elements.

He states further that the Items recovered from the alleged criminals, included exotic  vehicles, mobile phones, motorcycles, tricycles, locally made pistols,  live cartridges, cutlasses, criminal charms, axes, ATM card, driver’s  license and the sum of twelve thousand five-hundred-and-fifty-naira  cash.

The cars included a Honda Accord car with registration number MUS 481,  Toyota Camry car with registration number LSR 514 EH, Toyota Camry car  with registration number FE 379 LND, Toyota Camry car with registration  number KJA 747 BH and Honda Bull Dog car with registration number KEY  827 ET.

According to him, on March 17, 2019, around 9.30 pm, one Saidi Eniola,  was attacked and dispossessed of his Toyota Camry car at Iyana Church area of Ibadan by some unknown hoodlums armed with guns and some other  dangerous weapons and consequent upon this, a distress call was put  across to the police who later arrested the prime suspect and four  criminal receivers.

Olukolu while narrating how his men arrested two prime suspects, Adeleke  Fatai (m), and Opoola Muritala (m), and others in Oyo town said that  some hoodlums who specialised in attacking motorcyclists and  dispossessing them of their motorcycles in different part of Oyo state  were arrested by his men.

He said, “Sequel to a distress call, a team of SARS operatives led by CSP Sola Aremu swung into action and in the process, two of the hoodlums  who later identified themselves as Adeleke Fatai and Opoola Garuba were  arrested in their hideout.

“Upon interrogation, they confessed to have masterminded series of such criminal activities in various parts of Oyo state. The confessional statement later led to the arrest of four of their criminal receivers.

“Meanwhile, five Bajaj motorcycles which they confessed to have snatched from their owners were recovered from the hoodlums and the criminal receivers.”

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olukola Shina used the opportunity to call on individuals whose vehicles have been stolen to visit the SARS  office in the state to verify vehicles recovered.

"I seize this opportunity to call on individuals whose vehicles were stolen to call the SARS office to find out if their vehicles were recovered", he added.