Police Nab Suspects with Pistol in NANS-Branded Car, Foil Cable Theft in Osun

The Osun State Police Command has arrested four young men caught with a concealed firearm and charms in a car branded with the insignia of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, confirmed that the suspects — Adewale Kehinde (25), Adebayo Ayuba (22), Olasupo Abeeb (23), and Adeniyi Mustapha (21) — were intercepted along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road on June 24 in a Toyota Camry marked “PRESIDENCY NANS 27ZD.”

According to Gotan, a Beretta pistol, two empty magazines, a cutlass, and charms were found hidden in a box inside the vehicle during a routine stop-and-search operation.

“These individuals claimed to be students, but the nature of the items recovered suggests otherwise. We are investigating their true identity and mission,” Gotan said.

He emphasized that the arrests were part of intensified surveillance aimed at curbing crime in the state.

“We remain alert and ready to deal with any form of criminal activity. No one is above the law, no matter the organisation they claim to represent,” the police chief added.

In a separate operation, the Command’s Swift Action Squad arrested two suspected vandals of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) during another stop-and-search operation on June 21 along the Ile-Ife/Ibadan expressway in Osu.

The suspects, Usman Abubakar (25) and Bashiru Garuba (26), were found with large sacks of IBEDC electric cables and two saw blades tied to their motorcycles. Seven motorcycles, including three with registration numbers and four unregistered, were recovered during the operation.

“The suspects claimed to be scrap dealers from Modakeke, but the items in their possession tell a different story,” Gotan stated.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, adding, “We are determined to rid Osun of criminal elements. There will be no hiding place for those who seek to disrupt public safety.”

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