The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has condemned the deployment of gun-wielding security agents to run after suspected road traffic offenders as this was said to be responsible for the Tuesday killing of a teenager by a policeman in Ibadan urging Governor Seyi Makinde to consider usage of technology as it is the normal practice across the world.
Pandemonium broke out around new Gbagi Market-Alakia/Old Ife Road area of Ibadan yesterday when a trigger-happy policeman attached to the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Agency (OYRTMA) reportedly fired a shot at a motorist who drove against the traffic and thereby killed his 14 year-old son who was being taken to school alongside his twin-brother at the time of the ugly incident.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC decried the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of some officials of the OYRTMA and Park Management System who constitute nuisance to motorists and other road users particularly in Ibadan and other major cities across the state in the guise of generating revenue for the government.
“The killing of the innocent schoolboy by an overzealous policeman in Ibadan on Tuesday was not only unfortunate but also sad and devastating going by the circumstances surrounding the whole incident. Sad enough, the reaction which came from the state government added insult upon injury as the official statement, believed to have been issued, by Gov. Makinde’s media handlers blamed the father of the slain boy solely for the incident.
“Oyo state government, by its reaction to the killing incident, failed to accept blame as it failed in the responsibility of protecting lives and property of the residents. Government officials would rather lend credence to the fact that movement of innocent citizens on the streets of Oyo state could be a death sentence since they believe the best way to check the excesses of motorists and other road users was to unleash trigger-happy security men on them instead of deploying close circuit television cameras (CCTV) and other relevant technological appliances as it is the case in Lagos state and other climes.
“Gov. Makinde did not see the need to send armed security men after kidnapping bandits and other criminals who torment hapless citizens Iwajowa, Akinyele, Oluyole, Ibarapa North, Saki East, Oriire, Oyo West and many other local government councils in the state everyday but he takes pride in sending troops after motorists. Also, some OYRTMA, VIO and PMS officials who unleash terror on drivers of private and commercial vehicles need to be checked by the state government as the situation is getting worse everyday.
“More importantly, the Tuesday incident has to be thoroughly investigated by the Inspector General of Police and the federal government with a view to making all culprits answer for the crimes and ensuring that the slain Kehinde Alade gets justice even in death. Moreover, it is high time Gov. Makinde partnered relevant experts and technologies to curtail the excesses of motorists without employing brutal force and high-handedness as being witnessed at the moment.” Sadare stated.
