Oyo police arrest 3 suspected railway vandals, recover tracks worth ₦200m

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 in an intelligence-led operation.

The suspects, identified as Waheed Ayinde, 54, Muhammed Sani, 27, and Hassan Ibrahim, 22, were apprehended on July 14, 2026, in the Gambari, Orile-Igbon area of the state.

During the operation, police operatives recovered a large quantity of vandalised railway tracks and a HOWO truck with registration number CAL 972 XA, allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.

*Tracks stolen from Niger State*  

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said preliminary investigations revealed that the railway tracks were stolen from Niger State and were being transported to Lagos. Ogbomoso served as a temporary storage point before the final movement.

He explained that the successful operation was made possible by credible intelligence provided by members of the public, which enabled the Command’s Monitoring Unit to intercept the suspects before the stolen infrastructure could be moved.

The police said investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate. The Command reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding critical national infrastructure and combating criminal activities across the state.