Four men were arrested at the Irepo area along the Oyo–Ogbomoso Expressway during a police stop-and-search operation. They were in an ash-coloured Toyota Sienna with registration number EPE 992 KH, carrying four hybrid solar batteries valued at approximately N8 million. The suspects were identified as Jimoh Mufutau, 35, from Mowe-Ibafo, Ogun State; Saheed Akanbi, 34, from Onipanu, Lagos State; Lateef Ibrahim, 37, from Igando, Lagos State; and Lukman Jimoh, 38, from Isheri/Berger, Lagos State.
Oyo Police Command spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Tuesday. He said the suspects confessed during interrogation to stealing the equipment from a telecommunications facility in Offa, Kwara State, before attempting to transport it to an undisclosed location. The batteries and the vehicle have been seized and are now in police custody as exhibits. Investigation continues to establish the full scope of the suspects' activities and to identify other members of the alleged syndicate.
Oyo Commissioner of Police CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga praised the officers involved, crediting their vigilance and professionalism for the arrest. He reaffirmed the command's commitment to protecting critical national infrastructure and warned criminals that Oyo State offers no safe haven. The public was urged to remain alert and to provide credible information to aid crime prevention.
The police commend officers for catching men with N8m worth of telecoms gear, yet the equipment was stolen in Kwara and intercepted in Oyo, raising questions about security along the route. The suspects are all from Ogun and Lagos States, but the crime occurred in Kwara and the arrest in Oyo, showing syndicates operate across state lines. Police are holding the vehicle and batteries, but the original facility in Offa remains vulnerable. No telecoms company or government agency has claimed ownership of the N8m equipment.
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