Oyo Police arrest two suspected robbers in Ibadan linked to a syndicate targeting Uber drivers, as investigations continue to track other accomplices.
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers believed to be operatives of a well-organized car-snatching syndicate that has been targeting Uber drivers across Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects, identified as Tunde Bukola and Moyowa Faleye, were apprehended in the Liberty Road area, following a tip-off from vigilant local neighbourhood watch groups.
According to sources within the police command, the duo had been actively luring unsuspecting Uber drivers to isolated locations, where they would threaten them and forcibly take their vehicles.
The police revealed that the suspects had adopted a calculated modus operandi, using mobile phone bookings to identify and trap potential victims.
A breakthrough came when one of the suspects used the mobile number 09036731930 to arrange a ride.
The number, previously flagged and circulated among Uber drivers as suspicious, raised immediate alarms.
“Upon realizing they had been set up, the suspects attempted to escape by jumping out of the moving vehicle,” a police source explained.
“However, a vigilant surveillance team promptly intercepted them, leading to their arrest.”
During the operation, officers recovered a bicycle handle, believed to have been used as an improvised weapon to intimidate and assault victims during car-snatching attempts.
Further investigation revealed that at least two prior victims had already positively identified Bukola and Faleye as the criminals who forcefully seized their vehicles in separate incidents.
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that efforts are ongoing to track down additional accomplices linked to the syndicate and to recover other stolen vehicles.
The police have also urged ride-hailing drivers and the general public to exercise caution, avoid accepting rides from unknown numbers flagged as suspicious, and immediately report any unusual or threatening activities to the nearest security operatives.
The arrest underlines the importance of community collaboration with law enforcement, as the tip-off from local watchmen played a crucial role in dismantling the syndicate.
Authorities have reassured residents that intensified patrols and surveillance operations are being carried out across the city to prevent further incidents of armed robbery targeting ride-hailing drivers.
