The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of a criminal syndicate allegedly involved in armed robbery, land grabbing and other violent crimes in Ibadan metropolis.

The command also said it recovered firearms and ammunition from the suspect following an intelligence-led operation in the Soka area of Ibadan.

In a statement on Sunday, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Oyo Base, acted on credible intelligence received at about 2:45 a.m. on August 15, 2026.

According to him, the intelligence indicated that members of the syndicate had converged at a hideout in the Soka area.

He said the operatives swiftly moved to the location and arrested one of the suspects, identified as Arowolo Ademola Adeyemo, popularly known as “Demmy.”

A search conducted during the operation, he added, led to the recovery of one fabricated English pistol, one long single-barrel gun, nine rounds of 9mm live ammunition and nine live cartridges.

Ayanlade said the suspect, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to involvement in land grabbing, armed robbery and other violent crimes.

He said the suspect’s confession had provided useful leads towards identifying other members of the gang and determining their alleged involvement in related criminal activities.

The command said investigation was ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate who remained at large, adding that the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed operatives to intensify their efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

The command urged residents to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in combating crime across the state.