The police in Oyo State have arrested a serving sergeant (names withheld) for alleged armed robbery.
Our correspondent gathered that the police sergeant was arrested by men of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad about a month ago while he was undergoing screening for promotion to the next rank at the Police Training School, Eleyele, Ibadan.
The suspect, according to sources, was fished out from amongst other officers by SARS operatives, following the arrest of the members of a gang of armed robbers said to be led by the police officer.
Our correspondent learnt that while the week-long screening exercise of the officers and men of the command was going on, the other members of the sergeant’s robbery gang attempted to rob some residents of the state.
Luck, however, ran out on the gang members when their victims raised the alarm which attracted the SARS operatives who raced to the scene and confronted the suspected robbers.
After an exchange of some gun shots, the SARS operatives were said to have over-powered and arrested the gang members.
Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspected robbers.
According to a source, during the preliminary investigations conducted by the SARS operatives, the suspects confessed, while being interrogated, that the police sergeant had always supplied them logistics information before they embarked on any operation.
Armed with the details of the report of their preliminary investigation, detectives from SARS were said to have reported first at the office of the commandant of the Police Training School, Eleyele, Ibadan venue of the screening exercise, to inform him about their mission.
A police source said, “While the other suspects were put in a decoy vehicle, the officer was arrested and later made to face the civilian robbers who told him that their game was up.”
Dumb-founded at the sight of his alleged gang members, the sergeant was said to have been handcuffed by the SARS operatives and taken away to their station.
“His statement was taken under caution, while his house was thoroughly searched,” the source added.
The police sergeant has since been held in detention by the SARS in the state, pending the completion of investigations.
When contacted on the phone, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, pleaded for time to enable him get the details of the sergeant’s arrest for alleged robbery.
Oyebade said, ”Let me find out from the commandant. I will get back to you. You know that armed robbery is a serious offence. And my command will not condone any indiscipline from any of my officers and men.”
