The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight suspected members of an armed robbery syndicate linked to violent attacks and the hijacking of trailer trucks along the Papalanto–Ilaro and Owode–Idiroko corridors of the state.

The arrests followed an intelligence-led operation coordinated by operatives of the Anti-Robbery Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police to intensify surveillance and dismantle criminal networks operating along major highways.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officers, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed that sustained intelligence gathering, covert surveillance and crime pattern analysis enabled detectives to identify and infiltrate the syndicate, leading to the arrest of eight key members at different locations across the state.

Those arrested were identified as Mogaji Sodiq, also known as “Ogbonṣ”, Adebowale Lekan, Ajah Peter, Ganiyu Razaq, Odeleye Ayoola, Egboja Amos, Bello Akeem and Olaifa Sunday.

The police said a hijacked trailer truck, 900 bags of cement and a locally made single-barrel pistol were recovered during the operation.

According to Babaseyi, investigations revealed that most of the stolen cement had been offloaded into a warehouse, which was tracked and recovered before the suspects were intercepted.

He said the firearm was later recovered in a follow-up operation.

Further investigations, according to the police, established that the syndicate had been involved in previous criminal operations, particularly organised theft targeting commercial supply chains.

He said efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend other fleeing members of the gang, while intelligence is being exploited to dismantle the wider criminal network and identify accomplices.

The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.