The Oyo State Police Command has arrested an Indian national and two security operatives following the alleged assault of two truck drivers at Karma Agric Feeds and Foods Limited along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan.
The arrests followed the circulation of a video showing the alleged assault on social media, prompting the police to launch an investigation into the incident.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, had directed detectives to identify and apprehend those involved.
The suspects were identified as Olowu Oluwadamilare and Sodeke Olamide, security personnel attached to the company, and Harjit Singh, a 46-year-old Indian national associated with the firm.
According to the police, preliminary findings traced the incident to a disagreement over where a truck delivering goods to the company should be parked on Saturday.
The truck owner, Akinpelu Sarafa, 47, reportedly said the driver objected to the designated parking space because he feared it could damage the vehicle’s tyres.
However, the driver was allegedly compelled to park at the spot, after which one of the tyres burst.
The police statement said the disagreement escalated when the driver requested a replacement tyre but the company allegedly declined to provide one.
“The disagreement reportedly intensified when the driver requested a replacement tyre, but the company declined,” the statement said.
The driver subsequently allegedly used the truck to block the company’s entrance, leading to a physical confrontation involving the drivers, security personnel and the Indian national.
The police identified the victims as Ridwan Olajide, 34, and Taiwo Yinusa, 37. Both were taken to a hospital in the Academy area of Ibadan for medical treatment.
The command said the investigating officer visited the victims at the hospital and obtained their statements as part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
It added that the case had been transferred to the Special Enquiry Bureau in Eleyele, Ibadan, for further investigation.
The police said investigations were continuing to determine the roles played by each suspect and establish their level of culpability.
The command also reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law without discrimination against individuals or organisations, urging members of the public to remain calm as investigations continued.
