The suspects, aged 42 and 50, were arrested after a woman reportedly recognised them in the same taxi involved in an earlier theft incident.
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected fraudsters, identified as Gbenga Olubade, 42, and Oluwaseun Adeoye, 50, over their alleged involvement in a taxi-related theft incident in Ibadan.
The arrest followed a distress call received by the police at about 9:30 a.m. on November 4, 2026, from a concerned citizen who reported a confrontation between a commercial taxi driver and a passenger at TCTC Junction, Idi Ope, along Eleyele Road, Ibadan.
Acting on the report, detectives were immediately deployed to the scene, where the passenger, the driver and another occupant of the vehicle were taken to the police station for questioning.
During interrogation, the female passenger reportedly explained that on October 1, 2026, at about 9:50 a.m., she boarded a Micra taxi around Unity Hospital, Eleyele, heading towards Onireke, Ibadan.
However, under circumstances she could not explain, she later found herself in the Oje area of the city, where she discovered that her belongings were missing.
The missing items included an iPhone 11 Pro valued at ₦240,000, cash of ₦2,500 and clothing worth ₦10,000, bringing the total value of the items to ₦252,500.
The complainant said the incident resurfaced on November 4 when she was on her way to work and attempting to board a commercial vehicle. She reportedly sighted the same Micra taxi and recognised the two occupants she had encountered during the October incident.
She immediately raised an alarm, attracting the attention of other road users who assisted in apprehending the occupants before handing them over to the police.
The police said statements were obtained from the two suspects, who reportedly confessed to the allegations.
The Command has commenced further investigations to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether the suspects are linked to other similar criminal activities.
The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant when boarding commercial vehicles, report suspicious activities promptly and provide credible information that could help the police identify and dismantle criminal networks operating in the state.