2 clerics arrested in Ogun

Olayinka Olukoya, Abeokuta - 20.08.2008

TWO Muslim clerics have been arrested by the Gateway Compliance Task Force in Ogun State for allegedly inciting truck drivers to foment trouble at the Ogere end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

It also directed that over 100 commercial sex workers be ejected from the trailer park. The chairman of the task force, Alhaji Lamidi Odulawa, who said this on Tuesday in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, stated that the task force had been able to establish that the Muslim leaders had been inciting the drivers to disobey the directive of the government that no trailer should park on the highway.

Alhaji Odulawa said Umaru Musa and Dayyabu Kastina had been the brains behind the disobedience of some truck drivers who had refused to comply with the directive.

Odulawa, who is the Security Adviser to Governor Gbenga Daniel, said the task force reacted to information given by the Galadima (Secretary) of the Hausa community on the development, which was corroborated by the General Manager of the Gateway Trailer Park, Prince Leke Adesanya.

He said he directed the immediate arrest and ejection of the culprits from the community, saying “we cherish peace in the state. We cannot condone a situation where people, who are supposed to be teaching their followers the way of peace end up inciting them against the government.”

Adesanya was said to have met with Musa some days back in respect of the non-compliance of some of the truck drivers with the government’s directive.