One killed as Police parade 78 suspected PMS members in Oyo

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One killed as Police parade 78 suspected PMS members in Oyo

No fewer than 78 suspected members of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), have been arrested by the state Police Command over violence.

Items recovered from the suspects during the arrest include guns, 724 live cartridges, 25 cutlasses, 7 jack knives, 33 mobile phones, one Laptop, charms, two vehicles, and a sum of over three million naira.

Recall that Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday, through his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, announced the dissolution of PMS, headed by a former NURTW boss, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi popularly called Auxiliary.

Addressing journalists in Ibadan while parading the suspects at the Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, said the command in its proactive nature while acting on intelligence-driven surveillance was able to foil an attempt by the suspects at creating carnage and civil disturbance in the state sequel to their dissolution.

He said: “On Tuesday 30/05/2023 in a strategic intelligence coordinated raid around his location at Diamond Hotel, Alakia-Isebo, under Egbeda LGA, (78) Seventy-Eight suspected hoodlums who had perfected plans to unleash mayhem at the early hours of today at Major parts of the Metropolis were arrested in possession of sophisticated firearms.”

“During the raid, sophisticated firearms were recovered inside the hotel rooms and in the trunk compartment of parked vehicles within the hotel.”

He noted that though the PMS Chieftain (Auxiliary) was able to escape with some of his boys during the gun duel with the Police, but a member of the group was neutralized in a gun duel with the Police.

Adebowale said the same group was alleged to be responsible for the attack on (14) fourteen members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), along Agodi axis under the Ibadan North-East LGA enroute the venue of Monday’s inaugural celebration.

“In line with Standard Operational Procedure, all recovered items were properly Documented, packaged and recorded for onward forensics analysis and for evidence purposes in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and all other relevant laws.”

He, however, urged residents of the state to cooperate with the police through useful information to help apprehend the sacked PMS Chieftain (Auxiliary).

The CP, therefore, hinted that the state witness witnessed high patrols, and coordinated stop and search along designated points across the nooks and crannies of the state, adding that he has directed the area commanders to personally lead convoy patrols and rings of supervision of Police operatives within their respective areas of jurisdiction.