The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered stolen railway tracks valued at approximately ₦200 million during a major intelligence-led operation.
The suspects have been identified as Waheed Ayinde (54), Muhammed Sani (27), and Hassan Ibrahim (22).
According to the Police, operatives intercepted the suspects on July 14, 2026, in the Gambari, Orile-Igbon area of Oyo State, where they also recovered a large quantity of vandalized rail tracks and a HOWO truck (registration number CAL 972 XA) allegedly used to transport the stolen materials.
Police spokesperson DSP Olayinka Ayanlade said preliminary investigations indicate that the railway tracks were stolen from Niger State and were being transported to Lagos. The syndicate reportedly used Ogbomoso as a temporary storage location before attempting to move the stolen infrastructure to its final destination.
The operation followed credible intelligence provided by members of the public, enabling the Command Monitoring Unit to intercept the suspects before the stolen rail materials could be moved further.
The Police say investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, while efforts continue to protect critical national infrastructure from criminal activities.