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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State police command has arrested 29 members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state over violent clashes that followed the leadership tussle that rocked the union recently.
They were among the 55 suspects paraded by Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Shina Olukolu, at the command’s headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, over alleged criminal activities, including armed robbery, kidnapping, diversion of goods, and impersonation.
Besides, Olukolu stated that the command made a total arrest of 5,472 persons from January to May, this year, adding that the number comprises 5,341 males and 131 females. He said 3,052 cases had been charged to court, while 2,692 cases were awaiting trial.
The police said the 29 members of NURTW were arrested in two batches, with first batch comprising 15 suspects while the second batch 14 suspects.
According to the CP, the suspects in the first batch were arrested following a report to the police on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, by one Dauda Adisa that he left Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (former Liberty Stadium), Oke-Ado, Ibadan to their main Orita Challenge motorpark with the state chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Abideen Olajide, fondly called Ejiogbe.
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“But on getting to the said office, they saw two Micra taxi cabs, three buses and a Previa car loaded with hoodlums, who shot into the air and used cutlasses, hence, in the process, few members of the union sustained open injuries.
“He stressed further that he was able to identify two of the hoodlums, who were later arrested. Failed attempts were made to extend the violent disturbance of public peace to Idi-Arere, Beere, Orita Aperin, Muslim, Iwo Road, and Eruwa motor parks all within Ibadan metropolis,” Olukolu stated
The suspects, he said, were arrested by a combined team of policemen, military and State Security Services (SSS), adding that some criminal charms, one axe and eight branded T-shirts, were recovered from the suspects.
Olukolu stated that the other 14 members of NURTW were arrested at the venue of the inauguration of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium on May 29, saying a team of Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) attached to the command, who were detailed at the entrance of the stadium for the inauguration, accosted some hoodlums and in the process of conducting a search, some dangerous weapons were recovered from them.
Exhibits recovered from the suspects comprised one pump-action gun, one locally-made, double-barrel gun, one single-barrel gun, seven live cartridges, one cutlass, two knives, criminal charms and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
