The Amotekun corps in Oyo State, on Tuesday, intercepted a truck carrying over 150 northerners from Zamfara travelling to Ogun State.
It was learnt that the truck, which was heading to Ogere in Ogun State was stopped at around University of Ibadan-Bodija Road at about 4pm on Tuesday.
Some of the occupants of the truck were said to have jumped off and fled immediately they sighted the security men.
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Residents within Bodija market area had notified Amotekun of their suspicion on sighting the truck loaded with bags of onions, beans, potatoes, motorcycles with northern travellers comprising men, women, youths and children stuffed in between.
The interception reportedly caused panic among the people in the area, who believed that those arrested are terrorists or bandits.
The truck was, subsequently, moved to the office of Amotekun at Dandaru in Ibadan, where the travellers were interrogated while items in the truck were offloaded and the truck searched.
The Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Adeyanju (retd.), said those arrested could not be described as terrorists or criminals yet.
He said, “We did not arrest Boko Haram members or criminals. Those we arrested are here. Policemen are here, DSS operatives are here and the NSCDC men are also here.
“They are profiling them as I talk to you. We saw them in a truck and moving such huge number of people is suspicious and that was why we stopped them and brought them here.
“We arrested them and we invited other security agencies to come and profile them.
“With that, they will know if there is any of those who escaped from jail among them. They will find out their mission and where they are going to. They will be released if they are found to be law-abiding citizens.”
