The Oyo State Government Special Taskforce saddled with the responsibility of clearing out shanties from major roads and highways has apprehended and is set to prosecute 14 individuals for allegedly operating an illegal black market diesel trade along a notorious stretch of highway near the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
This was as the Special Taskforce also recovered four drums of diesel, 17 kegs of various litters of ranging from 50, 25 and 20 in the process.
Westernmirror.com.ng reports that the special taskforce operation is part of the Makinde administration’s commitment to securing Oyo State’s transport corridors and curbing criminal activities that have plagued parts of its highway system.
Addressing journalists at the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) Headquarters in Agodi, Ibadan today, the Executive Assistant on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, retired Commissioner of Police Sunday Odukoya, said the arrests were part of an ongoing clearance operation targeting criminal activities and illegal shanty operations along the state’s highways.
Odukoya, who doubles as the head of the Special Taskforce Team, who led the operation, revealed that the suspects were caught red-handed around the Circular Road axis, near Guru Maharaj Ji village, where they had been illegally selling diesel, some of which is suspected to be adulterated.
“We work on clearance operations to make sure that people travelling on the highway drive safely but we discovered, very sadly, that along that route we often encounter corpses, some mutilated. These crimes are being perpetrated by elements hiding within those shanties,” Odukoya said.
He explained that despite several warnings and deadlines issued to the black-market operators to vacate the illegal setups, they failed to comply.
“Enough is enough,” Odukoya declared. “We have given them ample time to clear out. Today, we moved in with our taskforce team and arrested 14 individuals involved in this nefarious activity,” Odukoya stated.
On the next line of action, the governor’s aide disclosed that the suspects will face immediate prosecution by a mobile court under the Oyo state Rule of Law Authority.
“We have a Task Force Enforcement Mobile Court which will handle their trial directly,” he confirmed.
The arrested individuals, who have allegedly been operating the illicit trade for several years, reportedly obtain diesel supplies from passing tanker drivers and resell to motorists at roadside locations without any regulatory oversight.
One of the suspects, Mustapha Bolaji, an indigene of Oyo state, who admitted to selling diesel for over six years, told journalists he buys from trailer drivers and resells to vehicles and companies, denying any involvement in adulterating the product.
“We don’t mix the diesel. We are only three in our own shop and we buy and sell. We were warned before, but we didn’t get any formal message about vacating. That’s why we’re here,” Bolaji admitted.
Authorities, however, remain unconvinced and have vowed to continue the clampdown.
Odukoya assured residents and road users that the Taskforce will sustain its raids and enforcement activities until the illegal trade and the security threats it poses are completely eradicated.
“We will not relent until we see the end of this illegality,” he concluded.