The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended two men suspected of trafficking illegal ammunition from the Republic of Benin into Nigeria, as part of a sustained crackdown on arms proliferation and violent crime in the state.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the suspects, Isiaka Dare, 35, and Taiwo Ayodabo, 33, both from Tede, were arrested in Budo Mosalasi, Saki, following a coordinated intelligence-led operation by the Command Monitoring Unit.
Investigations revealed that the suspects smuggled prohibited ammunition across unauthorized border routes and supplied it to unauthorised individuals, potentially fueling armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes.
Authorities recovered 105 packets of pump-action cartridges, totaling 2,625 rounds, concealed in jerry cans, as well as two unregistered motorcycles used in transporting the ammunition. The suspects have confessed and are assisting police in identifying other members of the transnational network.
Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, directed that the suspects be charged to court after a thorough investigation. He commended the intelligence-led operation, stressing the importance of community partnership and proactive policing in dismantling organized crime networks.
