OYO: NSCDC arrests three officials for ‘stealing’ Covid-19 palliatives

THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state has announced the arrest of three officials of Road Traffic Management Agency for alleged stealing 70 bags of maize meant for distribution as Covid-19 palliatives.

The Commandant of the NSCDC in Oyo State, Iskilu Akinsanya, made the disclosure while parading the suspects today at the Command’s headquarters, Agodi, Ibadan.

He noted that the suspects were arrested yesterday about 9.pm at the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, while trying to load the stolen items.

He said, “Our efforts yielded result yesterday (Wednesday) around 21:00hours. The suspects were arrested while loading the items that is meant for the people in the state as palliatives.

“This has been happening for a long time and we have been trying to pin them down. We were able to arrest them yesterday. This is what we have been talking about; government meant well for the society but there are some unscrupulous people that want to truncate government’s efforts.”

Akinsanya said the NSCDC in the state had resolved to flush out criminally minded elements out of the society and would not allow bad attitude to continue to happen.

He assured the people of Oyo State of adequate security and urged them to continue to volunteer useful information that could assist the service in tracking criminals in the society. The Commandant said investigation still continues on the matter and that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was completed.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, who is an OTRMA official (name not given), said that an official of the State Emergency Management Agency in charge of the palliatives gave the items to them as an assistance. He admitted that it was not the first time that they had been given.

The suspects said that they were arrested as they were unable to provide tangible information on how they got the items.