Oyo Government arrests 14 over illegal diesel sales, shanty operations

The Oyo State Government has arrested 14 individuals for operating illegal shanties and engaging in unauthorized diesel sales along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ibadan.

The arrests were made during a clearance operation led by retired Commissioner of Police Sunday Odukoya, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security. The exercise was carried out by a state special task force as part of efforts to restore order along the busy highway.

While parading the suspects, Odukoya disclosed that the group was also involved in selling adulterated diesel and other illegal activities. He noted that the suspects would be prosecuted in a mobile court under the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Agency.

Odukoya emphasized that multiple warnings had been issued to the occupants of the shanties before the operation commenced. “We gave them ample time to vacate, but they failed to comply,” he said.

He added that the government would sustain the operation until all illegal structures are cleared from the corridor to ensure public safety and environmental sanity.

One of the suspects, Bolaji Mustapha, confessed to trading diesel but claimed ignorance of the government’s eviction notices.

The crackdown is part of a broader initiative by the state government to improve security, curb environmental hazards, and enforce urban regulations along key transport routes.