Lagos Police Arrest Three Over Alleged N50m Highway Robbery
By Sherif Salau
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a robbery gang allegedly linked to highway attacks involving property estimated at about N50 million across parts of the South-West.
The suspects, aged between 26 and 31, were arrested at separate locations in Lagos by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit following intelligence-led investigations into the robbery operations.
According to the command, the suspects have been linked to two major robbery incidents along the Ife Expressway in Osun State, where about five vehicles were allegedly stolen. The incidents reportedly occurred on August 23 and September 30.
Police also said investigations have linked the suspects to the robbery of a prominent traditional ruler in Ondo State, further widening the scope of the probe.
Speaking at a briefing at the command headquarters in Ikeja, the state Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai said one of the recovered exhibits was a Toyota van with registration number BDJ 180 AJ, registered in Oyo State.
The commissioner said detectives were still working to recover the other stolen vehicles and firearms allegedly used during the operations, while efforts were also underway to apprehend other members of the suspected gang who remain at large.
The arrested suspects have reportedly made confessional statements and are cooperating with investigators, according to the police. Their statements are expected to assist detectives in identifying other suspected members of the gang and tracing additional stolen property.
Police further disclosed that one of the suspects, described as a 32-year-old ex-convict, allegedly told investigators that the gang targeted the vehicle of the traditional ruler after spotting it parked by the roadside.
The suspect reportedly claimed that the gang seized a bag containing money from the vehicle during the operation.
The latest arrests form part of the Lagos Command’s intelligence-driven efforts to dismantle robbery networks operating across state boundaries, particularly along major highways connecting Lagos, Osun and Ondo states.
Although three suspects are now in custody, police said the investigation remains ongoing, with detectives continuing efforts to recover the remaining vehicles, locate the suspected firearms and arrest other members of the gang.
The command has also urged motorists and residents to remain vigilant while travelling on major highways and to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies as investigations into the alleged robbery network continue.
