AN ODEDA MAGISTRATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT HAS REMANDED A TRUCK DRIVER FOR ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO KILL A TEAM OF VEHICLE INSPECTION OFFICERS (VIO) IN ABEOKUTA, THE OGUN STATE CAPITAL.
THE ACCUSED, RUFUS DANIEL, WHO IS A DRIVER OF A TRUCK MARKED RRN 158 XA, BELONGING TO DANGOTE COMPANY, ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO CRUSH THE OFFICERS WHO WERE ON DUTY AT OBANTOKO AREA IN THE CITY.
PROSECUTING OFFICER, SEAGENT KEHINDE FAWUNMI, TOLD THE COURT THAT THE ACCUSED WHILE BEING FLAGGED DOWN BY THE VIO OFFICERS, PRETENDED TO OBEY ONLY TO SWERVE AT THE OFFICERS, WHO NARROWLY ESCAPED BEING CRUSHED BY THE TRUCK
FAWUNMI EXPLAINS THAT THE DRIVER LATER STOPPED AND ALLOWED SOME OF THE OFFICERS TO ENTER INTO THE TRUCK PRETENDING TO BE FOLLOWING THEM TO THEIR OFFICE ONLY TO DRIVE THEM TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION.
ACCORDING TO THE PROSECUTOR, IT TOOK THE INTERVENTION OF THE DIVISIONAL POLICE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF OBANTOKO POLICE STATION, SUPRINTENDENT OF POLICE OLASUNKANMI POPOOLA, WHO PURSUED THE TRUCK AND ARRESTED ITS DRIVER.
MAGISTRATE BABAJIDE ILO, ORDERED THE ACCUSED TO BE REMANDED IN OBA PRISON, WHILE HE ADJOURNED THE CASE TILL JULY 18.
THE VIO’S HEAD OF OPERATIONS IN THE STATE, COMMANDER ABIMBOLA BABALOLA, WHILE CONDEMNING THE INSESSANT ATTACKS ON HIS OFFICERS, CALLS FOR STIFFER PUNISHMENT FOR THE OFFENDERS.
ACCORDING TO BABALOLA, ARMLESS OFFICERS ON THE HIGHWAYS, INCLUDING FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS AND THE TRAFFIC COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (TRACE), ARE BEEN SUBJECTED TO UNPROVOKED ATTACKS WHILE ON DUTY.
