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Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Hell was let loose on Tuesday afternoon in Abeokuta, the Ogun State, when angry mob went haywire and stormed the headquarters of the Ogun State Parking Management Scheme under the Bureau of Transportation and vandalized property worth thousands of naira.
The mob, later discovered to be truck drivers, was reported to have stormed the Ibara office of the Parking Management Scheme in protest against seizure of their trucks by operatives of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).
A visit by our correspondent to the scene, there was heavy presence of policemen led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, (Operations), ACP Muyideen Obe and men of the Nigerian Army.
According to an eyewitness, who was at the scene of the incident, the truck drivers came in a truck and demolished the entrance gate of the premises and went straight to the TRACE office, destroying their patrol vehicle and electronic appliances in the office.
The eyewitness added that after leaving the TRACE office, the irate mob descended on the Parking Management office and destroyed the vehicles within the premises.
While reacting to the incident, the Consultant to the Ogun State Government and Chief Operating Officer, Ogun State Parking Management Scheme, Wale Yusuf said his officers escaped unhurt when the hoodlums stormed his office.
Yusuf, who condemned the attack said the hoodlums forcefully gained entrance into the cashier office and carted away undisclosed amount of money.
He described the attack as barbaric and called on the police to bring the perpetrators to book.
Also speaking, the TRACE Public Relations Officer,
Babatunde Akinbiyi, told newsmen that, the arrested truck and the driver violated the 10pm – 4am dust to dawn curfew and was trying to evade arrest at the check point.
Akinbiyi explained further that, the truck driver in their unruly nature and violence characteristics dismantled the road block by the taskforce and ran away.
He stressed further that immediately the
taskforce team waylaid the truck, on sighting the taskforce, the truck driver parked and ran away and the truck was immediately towed to their operational office at Ibara.
Akinbiyi, however, alleged that the “runaway driver” mobilized his colleagues to the TRACE office, vandalizing property and drove out the seized truck.
“This morning signal came that they want to cause chaos. They went to Ajebo Road and barricaded the whole place and they also came here to destroy everything.
“It’s a known fact, that curfew is still existing from 10pm-4am, while Task Force is to guide and regulate movement of the people. The truck and its driver were arrested after they beat the curfew timeline, through to their rudely nature and violence characteristics they wanted to have their way, aftermath, they were penalised.
“Is there anybody above the law why are they not obeying and uphold the curfew rules and regulations.? It’s becoming a recurring decimal”. TRACE PRO stated.
