By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

Pandemonium broke out in Abeokuta, the Ogun State on Tuesday as angry mob went berserk and attacked the headquarters of Ogun State Parking Management Scheme under the Bureau of Transportation and vandalized property worth thousands of naira.

The angry truck drivers, according to an eyewitness account stormed the Ibara office of the parking management scheme in protest against seizure of their truck by operatives of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).

When Vanguard visited the scene, there was heavy presence of policemen led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, (Operations), ACP Muyideen Obe and men of the Nigerian Army.

The eyewitness who was at the scene said, the truck drivers came in a truck and brought down the main gate of the premises and went straight to the TRACE office vandalizing their patrol vehicle and electronic appliances in the office.

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He said after leaving the TRACE office, the irate mob descended on the parking management office and destroyed the vehicles within the premises.

While reacting to the incident, the Consultant to the Ogun State Government and Chief Operating Officer, Ogun State Parking Management Scheme, Engr. Wale Yusuf said his officers escaped unhurt when the hoodlums stormed his office.

Engr. Yusuf who condemned the attack said the hoodlums forcefully gained entrance into the cashier office and carted away an undisclosed amount of money.

The Parking Management boss who described the attack as barbaric called on the police to bring the perpetrators to book.

Also speaking, the TRACE Public Relations Officer, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi told newsmen that, the arrested truck and driver violated the 10 pm – 4 am dust to dawn curfew and was trying to evade at the checkpoint.

Akinbiyi explained further that, the truck driver in their unruly nature and violence characteristics dismantled the roadblock by the taskforce and ran away.

The TRACE PRO stressed further that, immediately the taskforce team waylaid the truck, on sighting the taskforce, the truck driver parked and ran away and the truck was immediately towed to their operational office at Ibara.

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He added that the ‘runaway’ driver mobilized his colleagues to the TRACE office, vandalizing property and drove out the seized truck.

“This morning signal came that they want to cause chaos. They went to Ajebo road and barricaded the whole place and they also came here to destroyed everything.

“It’s a known fact, that curfew is still existing from 10 pm-4 am, while Task Force is to guide and regulate the movement of the people. The truck and its driver were arrested after they beat the curfew timeline, through to their rudely nature and violence characteristics they wanted to have their way, aftermath, they were penalised.

“Is there anybody above the law why are they not obeying and uphold the curfew rules and regulations.? It’s becoming a recurring decimal.”

Vanguard