Three suspected members of an armed robbery gang have been arrested after allegedly confessing to their involvement in the killing of a woman during a robbery attack in the Wofun Olodo area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The victim, 44-year-old Mrs Wahab Rukayat, was killed during the attack, while other occupants of the residence were seriously injured.
This was contained in a statement signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, on Saturday.
The suspects were identified as Akinrinola Oluwatobi, 28; Okunola Mathew, 24; and Ibrahim Rabiu, 23.
According to the statement, the incident occurred at about 2:30am on August 4, 2026, at the residence of Alhaji Olatokunbo in the Wofun Olodo area of Ibadan.
The police said, “On August 4, 2026, at about 0230hrs, a deadly armed robbery attack occurred at the residence of Alhaji Olatokunbo, Wofun Olodo, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman, Mrs Wahab Rukayat, was killed and other occupants of the residence were seriously injured.”
The statement added, “The robbers made away with several mobile phones, wristwatches, the sum of $400 and other valuables estimated at N3,493,000.”
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed that the case be transferred to the Violent Crime Response Unit for investigation.
The police said the VCRU subsequently commenced an intelligence-led investigation “aided by technology” which led to the arrest of the three suspects at a suspected hideout in the Sabo area of Ibadan at about 9pm on October 2.
The statement said, “Operatives of the VCRU, acting on credible intelligence generated through painstaking investigation and aided by technology, carried out a targeted operation that led to the arrest of three suspects at a suspected hideout in Sabo, Ibadan.”
The suspects were identified as Akinrinola Oluwatobi, 28; Okunola Mathew, 24; and Ibrahim Rabiu, 23.
The police also said an iPhone 7 Plus belonging to one of the victims was recovered from the suspects.
It added that surviving victims identified the suspects during an identification parade.
“The surviving victims, during an identification parade, identified the suspects among others as members of the gang that attacked the residence on August 4, 2026,” the statement said.
According to the command, the suspects also confessed to their involvement in the robbery and the killing of Rukayat.
The police said, “The suspects confessed to their involvement in the crime, their respective roles in the robbery operation, the collection of the sum of N3,493,000 and the killing of the deceased woman.”
The suspects reportedly confessed to other robbery operations around Wofun Olodo and Akobo areas of Ibadan.
The Commissioner of Police directed the VCRU and other relevant units to intensify efforts to arrest other members of the gang, as well as persons allegedly involved in receiving or disposing of proceeds from their criminal activities.
