For close to 2 hours this morning, bank customers and road users were held up at Idi-Ape area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital as Ajumose bus drivers and policemen clashed.
It was gathered that trouble started last night when one of the drivers refused to give the policemen ‘egunje’ at Iwo Road. He was said to have been arrested with his bus and taken to Testing Ground Police Station, Idi-Ape.
As early as 7 am, the drivers, in 10 Ajumose buses, blocked the Idi-Ape end of Iwo Road, preventing those going to work.
It later spread to other adjoining streets, an action which forced the many banks in the area to close down temporarily.
While this was ongoing, it was learnt that the bus drivers converged at the entrance of the police station, threatening not to remove their buses from the road unless their colleague was released.
The police, sources informed insideoyo.com, had to call for reinforcement from the Police headquarters. They were later joined by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
Towing vehicles that were hired to remove the buses were unable to get to the spot as the road became blocked. The drivers were later arrested.
Efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Adekunle Ajisebutu proved abortive as he was not on seat when insideoyo.com called.
Though they are yet to be tried, a police source, however, revealed that the drivers are ‘cooling off’ at Agodi Prisons.
Insideoyo.com counted 10 buses when our correspondent visited the station. The numbers of the ‘arrested’ buses are 14B 28 OY, 14B 29 OY, 14B 35 OY, 14B 44 OY, 14B 51 OY, 14B 52 OY, 14B 61 OY, 14B 66 OY, 14B 74 OY and OY 32 A2A.
As at the time of filing this report, the buses are still within the premises of the Police Station.
