As part of its determination to curb insecurity in Oyo State and ensure protection of lives and properties, the Amotekun in Oyo State intercepted a trailer-load of cows hiding 63 northerners and 25 okadas traveling from Zamfara.
ValidViewNetwork reports that it has been widely alleged that such okadas are instruments in the hands of criminal elements who have been terrorising the people. There has been numerous calls for adequate registration of motorcycles popularly known as Okada.
ValidViewNetwork reports that there have been various unconfirmed messages that bandits were planning to attack some States in the South West Nigeria , calling for people to be more vigilant. The arrest of a suspected Boko Haram leader working as a Security guard in Abeokuta, Ogun State further laid credence to the alleged planned attack of the South West.
Incidentally, those arrested by the Oyo State Amotekun at Bodija market were also traveling travelling to Ogun State.
In the process of the arrest, 10 of the northerners took to their heels as stated by the Amotekun Commandant.
This achievement of Amotekun would have been impossible without the security alertness of some residents around Bodija market area of Oyo State who notified Amotekun of their suspicion on sighting the truck loaded with bags of onions, beans, potatoes, motorcycles and northern travellers comprising men, women, youths and children stuffed in between. The truck was, subsequently, moved to the office of Amotekun at Dandaru in Ibadan, where the travellers were interrogated while items in the truck were offloaded and the truck subjected to security check..
Upon interrogation at the Amotekun office, the driver of the truck, with number plate, Abuja BWR 143 XD, Abdullahi Aliu, said he was conveying the items and travellers to Ogere, Ogun State, and only offloaded some items at Bodija market.
Asked why he was conveying such huge number, Aliu said he assisted some of them on the journey because they did not have transport fare.
ValidViewNetwork reports that the uncontrolled influx of northerners with bikes to some strategic areas in the South West has been a cause of concern in recent times particularly with the increasing rate of crime and criminality.
The combined efforts of Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the police helped to ensure that the travelers were adequately screened. After search and interrogation, security agencies declared that no incriminating item was found on the travellers and in the truck.
The security agencies, subsequently, resolved to escort the travellers to the Ogun State border for them to continue their journey to Ogere, after confirmation of their destination.
However, the Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Arewa, Ahmed Muritala, who was present at the Amotekun office, chided the truck driver for conveying such a huge number of people at a time that the country is facing serious threats of insecurity.
The level of insecurity across the country is worrying. All southern states must now outlaw transportation of more than two people in the back or cargo containers of lorries and trucks. Both drivers and passenger of such vehicles should be made culpable if they’re more than two. They should also made it mandatory for drivers of commercial vehicles conveying humanity from one state to another to submit a copy of their passenger manifest at a designated point as they cross state boundary if they have more than five passengers in their vehicles.