The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered vandalised rail tracks valued at about N200 million in the Surulere axis of the state.

Police said the operation was triggered by a tip-off from a resident who alerted authorities to suspicious movements of a heavy-duty truck believed to be conveying stolen infrastructure.

Spokesperson for the command, Superintendent Olayinka Ayanlade, said operatives from the Command Monitoring Unit swiftly moved to the Gambari, Orile-Igbon area, where they intercepted a HOWO truck with registration number CAL 972 XA, registered in Cross River State.

Inside the truck, officers reportedly found large quantities of dismantled rail tracks, already cut and arranged for onward movement. The three occupants of the vehicle were arrested on the spot.

The suspects were identified as 54-year-old Waheed Ayinde, alleged to be the contracted driver; 27-year-old Muhammed Sani; and 22-year-old Hassan Ibrahim. Investigators say each man played a distinct role in what they describe as a coordinated criminal network targeting critical national infrastructure.

Preliminary findings by the police indicate that the rail tracks were originally removed from locations in Niger State before being transported into Oyo State. The consignment was allegedly being warehoused temporarily around Ogbomoso, with Lagos named as the intended final destination for the stolen materials.

According to the command, one suspect is believed to have coordinated the logistics of the operation, another arranged storage and safe passage, while the driver was hired to ferry the consignment to buyers in Lagos.

Ayanlade said the three men have given what he described as “useful confessional statements” and are assisting detectives in tracking other members of the syndicate, including financiers, loaders and receivers of the stolen tracks.

The police are also working to identify the exact rail corridors affected and the extent of damage to the national rail network, amid growing concern over the economic and safety implications of such vandalism.

Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the resident whose information led to the interception, saying the case underscores the importance of intelligence-led policing and community collaboration.

He urged members of the public to continue to report suspicious activities around public infrastructure, assuring that every credible lead will attract a prompt operational response as the command intensifies efforts to protect strategic assets across the state.