Police arrest suspected drug dealer in Oyo

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected drug dealer in the Apata area of Ibadan, the state capital, as part of efforts to rid the state of crime and criminality.

This was contained in a statement released by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.

Ayanlade said the command arrested the suspect, identified as Rilwan, on Friday, September 11, 2026, at about 8 am in the Apata area of the city, acting on credible intelligence.

“The suspect, identified as Rilwan ‘M’, aged 28, of Apata area of Ibadan, was arrested yesterday, 11 September 2026, at about 0800hrs. Acting on the intelligence, surveillance operatives of the Iyaganku Area Command commenced targeted surveillance operations which culminated in the arrest of the suspect,” Ayanlade said.

He revealed that suspected dangerous drugs were recovered from the suspect during his arrest.

“Recovered from him were a quantity of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine, alongside other suspected dangerous drugs”, the command’s PPRO said.

Ayanlade added that the suspect was in police custody and cooperating with investigators to establish the extent of his involvement in the illicit drug trade.

“The suspect is currently in police custody and cooperating with investigators as preliminary investigation continues to establish the source and extent of his involvement in the illicit drug trade, as well as identify other persons who may be connected to the activities,” the command’s PPRO said.

Ayanlade said the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the preliminary investigation.

“The suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the preliminary investigation,” he added.

The command’s Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, stated that illicit drugs constituted a significant catalyst for various forms of crime and criminality. He therefore reiterated the command’s determination to sustain intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking and other criminal activities across the state.

“Illicit drugs constitute a significant catalyst for various forms of crime and criminality. The command is determined to sustain intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking and other criminal activities across the state,” Olugbenga said.

The commissioner further assured that the command would continue to work assiduously to identify and disrupt the supply chains of what he described as catalytic elements of crime, particularly illicit drugs, while strengthening intelligence-led policing and proactive operations across the state.

He urged members of the public to continue providing credible and actionable information to the police to enable the command to further strengthen its fight against crime and criminality in Oyo State.