Makinde Vows to Prosecute Immigration Officers Involved in Humiliation of OYRTMA Officers
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has vowed to prosecute officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), involved in the recent arrest, detention, and humiliation of Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority, OYRTMA officers who were on their routine of operation on enforcing the law on traffic offenders.
The OYRTMA officers, Nurudeen Abiola and Taiwo Adeagbo, were arrested, detained and stripped naked by the officers of the Zone F Command of the NIS for apprehending an Immigration Officer who violated traffic rule by driving on one way against traffic along Onipepeye bridge underpass.
Makinde, while paying visits to the families of the affected victims on Monday at their residences in Oke-Ibadan Ife Lajulo and Olunloyo, respectively condemned the actions of the Immigration officers, emphasising that such behaviour is unacceptable regardless of an individual’s position within a federal agency.
The governor, who vowed to prosecute the Immigration officers involved in the incident, has tasked the state’s Attorney General with writing to the Immigration authorities to ensure accountability.
He said: “This is unacceptable whether you are Immigration official, you work for other paramilitary agencies does not say you are superior.”
“These individuals are just trying to enforce the law of the state. Because you work for federal agency does not mean you are superior.”
“So, I have asked the Honourable Attorney General, we would follow this through. We would write to Immigration authorities and then we would prosecute the people involved.”
The governor also visited the state command of NIS, where he met with Comptroller, Muhammed Umar to officially report the incident.
During the visit to the NIS command, Governor Makinde emphasised the importance of cooperation between the state government and the NIS in ensuring such incidents do not occur in the future.
He also stressed that the state maintains a zero-tolerance policy for individuals violating traffic rules and expressed confidence in the support of both the NIS and Zone F command in addressing this issue.
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