Notorious transport union leader Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, has been re-arrested by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).
This comes ten years after his initial arrest and imprisonment, News About Nigeria reports.
According to a top government official who wished to remain anonymous, Auxiliary, the former head of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), was taken into custody by operatives of the secret police on Tuesday afternoon at about 4:00 pm at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the state capital.
This latest development comes after Auxiliary’s tumultuous past with the Oyo State government, which saw him arrested by the administration of late former governor Abiola Ajimobi in May 2014. He was subsequently jailed in 2016 and released in 2018, towards the end of Ajimobi’s tenure.
Auxiliary’s troubles with the law began when he was accused of terrorising motorists and commuters in Ibadan, the state capital, and engaging in violent clashes with rival transport unions.
His reign of terror earned him a reputation as a feared figure in the state’s transport sector.
However, his latest run-in with the law appears to be linked to a conflict with officials of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in May 2023.
The dispute reportedly arose from Auxiliary’s attempts to regain control of the transport union, which led to clashes with rival factions.
There are reports that his arrest may be connected to a controversial interview he granted on Saturday, May 4.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to The Punch due to the sensitivity of the issue, a close source disclosed that Auxiliary’s outspoken comments about Seye Famojuro, a close associate of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, may have triggered his arrest.
In the interview, conducted in the Yoruba language with media personality Ajibola Akinyefa, Auxiliary boldly accused Famojuro of masterminding his troubles. He stated, “If he (Famojuro) is the governor or Seyi Makinde is, we will know. It’s just a matter of time. Everybody will face the consequences of their actions. The people he chose to manage the park are cheating themselves.”
When questioned about allegations of hooliganism leading to his removal, Auxiliary retorted, “How many people reported that I beat them to the police?”
He further predicted that Famojuro would eventually return to his hometown of Ijesha, as Ibadan is not his native land.
“Seye will still go back to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his town. Only Governor Seyi Makinde and I will remain here because we won’t run away. And I see that the bird is not working, but God feeds it. Seye will reap the seeds of his actions,” he added.
