By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested three suspects allegedly linked to the hijacking of a DAF truck loaded with 45,000 litres of petrol belonging to NIPCO Ltd.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan.

Osifeso said that the command’s Monitoring Unit on April 5, at about 1.00 a.m., received a report of a hijacking incident of the truck with registration number ADAMAWA YLA 575 ZY on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan Road.

He said that preliminary investigations indicated the involvement of an armed group equipped with sophisticated firearms, adding that specialised operatives were immediately deployed to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Their efforts led to the discovery of the hijacked truck at Lincoln Filling Station, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of siphoning the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

“Upon arrival, police operatives apprehended two suspects at the scene.

“During preliminary investigations, the suspects disclosed that the hijacked truck was transferred to them by a third individual known as Femi, who allegedly masterminded the hijacking alongside his accomplices,” Osifeso said.

He said that further revelation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of another 30-year-old suspect, who was a pivotal figure in the operation.

Osifeso said that the suspect had confessed to his role in orchestrating the hijacking and provided details on how the truck was diverted after the crime.

The command’s spokesman assured the public of the command’s continued diligent investigations aimed at dismantling the criminal network and holding all individuals involved accountable for their actions.

He urged members of the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to the police, emphasising that active participation is vital to the command’s collective efforts in the fight against crime. (NAN)