The Oyo State Police Command, on Sunday, said it decided to release about 80 passengers of a DAF Truck with registration number Bauchi KTG 220 ZZ, intercepted and detained by Amotekun security outfit in Ibadan, Oyo State because nothing incriminating was found on them.
The said truck, which was driven by one Auwalu Mustapha was intercepted along Iwo Road, Ibadan in Oyo State on Sunday at about 5 pm.
This position contradicts the statement credited to Oyo State command of Amotekun corps that dangerous weapons, including bows and arrows, knives were found in the possession of the mostly young men. The men also had 25 heads of cattle with them.
Confirming the incident, the Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd), said: “We arrested about 80 men in a truck. We found some bows and arrows and knifes in the truck. They also had some cows and motorcycles there.
“We couldn’t carry out a thorough search because we had started attracting attention so we moved them to the police station nearby.”
The Nigerian Tribune reported that the Fulani men were almost attacked by some hoodlums at the spot of interception, but Amotekun quickly moved them to Agodi police station, not far from the scene.
During interrogation, the police said, the men said they were from Kano State, on their way to Ogun and Lagos States for commercial motorcycle riding and cattle sales respectively.
Thereafter, they were escorted by police patrol team to the defunct toll gate at Ibadan end of Lagos/Ibadan highway, to make them leave peacefully, as they headed towards Lagos.
Oyo State police spokesperson, Olugbenga Fadeyi confirmed the story, saying that the Fulani were led out of Oyo State towards their destinations by the police.
He said: “Some persons were intercepted and they were taken to Agodi Police Station where they were profiled. They said they were coming from Wudil in Kano and were going to Lagos and some to Ogun State. They said they were taking the cows to the abattoir in Agege, Lagos.
“We didn’t find anything incriminating on them. They were released and escorted to the Toll Gate area on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. They are no longer in Oyo State territory.”
