The Kwara State Police Command has apprehended three suspected members of a criminal syndicate allegedly involved in vandalising solar street lights and conducting armed robbery operations along the Asa Dam/Dangote Road axis in Ilorin.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 May 2026, by the newly formed Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

According to the statement, the arrests followed credible intelligence and public complaints regarding suspicious activities around the Tanke area of Ilorin.

Items recovered from the suspects included two locally made pistols, pliers, and suspected hard drugs.

The statement added that preliminary investigations revealed the suspects belong to a wider criminal network operating in key parts of the Ilorin metropolis, while efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the syndicate, including receivers of stolen items.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Adekimi Ojo, commended the VCRU for the intelligence-led operation and reassured residents that the Command would not allow criminal elements to operate freely in the state.