By Musa Aliyu
Police Tuesday in Ibadan paraded 78 suspects detained for allegedly planning to wreak havoc in the city over the firing of the leaders of a highway transport group.
The state government had announced late Monday the suspension of the State Park Management System Disciplinary Committee, which the state government had established to manage car parks in the state.
The committee is headed by a political enforcer, Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary.
The suspension of the committee had caused anxiety in Ibadan, where disputes between trucking unions often escalated into chaos.
A member of the disbanded group was reportedly killed during a shootout with police on Tuesday.
The police made it known while parading 78 people allegedly members of the dissolved PMS for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and other criminal instruments.
The problems began in the state after the announcement of the dismissal of Auxiliary through a statement from the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi.
On Tuesday, police besieged Auxiliary’s hotel where they said they recovered weapons and ammunition.
The suspended transport union leader was reported to have run away with some of his boys during the encounter.
Speaking at the parade, state police commissioner Adebowale Williams told reporters his men went to Auxiliary’s shelter acting on intelligence of his plans to wreak havoc.
“Sequel to the above, on Tuesday 05/30/2023 in a coordinated strategic intelligence raid around their location at Diamond Hotel, Alakia-Isebo, under Egbeda LGA, (78) seventy-eight suspected thugs who had perfected plans to unleash In the chaos in the early hours of today, in most of the metropolis, they were arrested in possession of sophisticated firearms, (724) seven hundred and twenty-four cartridges, various amulets, (33) thirty-three mobile phones and a sum in cash of around of (N3, 450,000) Three Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Naira Only.”
The police chief said sophisticated firearms were recovered from hotel rooms and in the trunk of vehicles parked inside the hotel.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects are one AK-47 rifle, four (4) AK-47 magazines, eighty-four (84) live AK-47 ammunition, nineteen (19) pump-action rifles, one Barreta pistol, seven pistols cut to pistol size, one English-made barrel pistol, seven hundred twenty-four (724) real cartridges, 25 machetes, seven Jack knives, thirty-three (33) mobile phones, one Samsung laptop, amulets, one Mazda bus, a Toyota Sienna, cash sum of three million four hundred and fifty thousand naira, (N3,450,000.00).
“Noteworthy is that although the PMS Chieftain was able to escape with some of his guys during the gunfight with the police, however, one member of the group was neutralized in a gunfight with the police.
“Remember that the same group was accused of being responsible for the attack on (14) Fourteen members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) along the Agodi axis under Ibadan North-East LGA en route to the site of the opening celebrations yesterday.
“Furthermore, in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure, all recovered items were properly documented, packaged and registered for further forensic analysis and evidentiary purposes in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and all other relevant laws” .
“In furtherance of the above, Oyo State Police Command, under the constructive leadership of CP Adebowale Williams psc(+)fdc, reiterates its unwavering commitments to address criminal mischief, vandalism and flagrant disregard for the state of right”.
Williams called on members of the public to cooperate with police by providing useful information to help apprehend the ousted PMS president.
“In the future, residents will witness high-octane patrols, coordinated stops and searches along designated points in every corner of the state.
“In addition, the CP has instructed Area Commanders to personally lead convoy patrols and supervision rings for police operations within their respective areas of jurisdiction.
“In emergencies, the Command can always be reached via these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (Oyo State Security Trust Fund), and the Emergency Lines of the Command of the Oyo State Police 07055495413 and 08081768614”.
