At least one person has been confirmed dead and 78 members of the Park Management System (PMS) arrested in a gun duel with policemen yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The state police commissioner, Adebowale Williams, said the command in its efforts to nip in the bud another clash that could have resulted in the loss of life and property in Ibadan metropolis, paraded 78 believed to be Park Management System members for unlawful possession of firearms.
The commissioner who addressed journalists at the state command headquarters, Eleyele Ibadan on Tuesday, stated that the command in its proactive nature while acting on intelligence driven surveillance were able to foil an attempt at creating widespread and civil disturbance in the state by some members of the PMS led by Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi aka Auxiliary sequel to its immediate dissolution.
Adebowale said, “Sequel to the above, on Tuesday 30/05/2023 in a strategic intelligence coordinated raid around his location at Diamond Hotel, Alakia-Isebo, under Egbeda LGA, 78 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 724 cartridges, assorted charms, 33 mobile phones, and a cash sum of about N3,450,000 only.
“In addition, during the raid sophisticated firearms were recovered inside the hotel rooms and in the trunk compartment of parked vehicles within the hotel.
“Worthy of note is that, though the PMS chieftain was able to escape with some of his boys during the gun duel with the police, a member of the group was neutralised in a gun duel with the police,” he said.
The same group was alleged to be responsible for the attack on 14 members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Agodi axis under Ibadan North-East LGA en-route the venue of yesterday’s Inaugural celebrations.