The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered a stolen motorcycle following a swift operation by its operatives in Ibadan.

The command said the suspect, identified as Shafiu Nuhu, was arrested after allegedly attacking a commercial motorcyclist with an iron hammer and making away with his motorcycle along Adeniji Estate, Apata, Ibadan.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Olayinka Ayanlade , the incident occurred on Wednesday following credible information received from a member of the public.

The police said the victim, Muhammadu Kamilu, was reportedly attacked and dispossessed of his Bajaj Boxer motorcycle by a passenger who struck him with an iron hammer before fleeing with the motorcycle.

Acting on the intelligence, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) were immediately deployed to the area, leading to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of the stolen Bajaj Boxer motorcycle with registration number AJW 842 QU.

The police also recovered the iron hammer allegedly used in carrying out the attack.

The statement added that the victim sustained injuries during the incident, while a good Samaritan, identified as Nathaniel Ibrahim, was also injured while attempting to rescue the motorcyclist from the assailant.

Both men were taken to a nearby hospital, where they received medical treatment.

According to the police, the suspect confessed during interrogation to operating as a lone robber who specialised in attacking commercial motorcyclists in Ibadan and its environs.

The command said investigations were ongoing to determine the suspect’s possible involvement in other similar crimes and to recover additional exhibits linked to his operations.

Commending the public for providing timely information, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, also lauded the courage of the good Samaritan whose intervention contributed to the suspect’s arrest.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies by reporting suspicious persons and activities promptly.

The police commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and assured residents that efforts to rid the state of violent criminals would be sustained.