The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has questioned the whereabouts and functionality of the surveillance aircraft recently acquired by the state government following Sunday’s attack on an Operation Burst base along the Igbeti-Igboho Road.

The party said the attack, which lasted for more than an hour, raised questions about the deployment of the aircraft, particularly as the incident occurred in the same axis where the government reportedly said the security equipment had been deployed.

The suspected bandits reportedly attacked the Operation Burst base in Oorelope Local Government Area, carting away some items and setting fire to the security post and a vehicle.

No casualty was recorded in the attack.
Operation Burst is a joint security outfit comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

In a statement yesterday, the APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the incident as a matter of concern and challenged Governor Seyi Makinde to explain the status of the surveillance aircraft.

Sadare said it was ironic that the attackers could operate for more than one hour in an area where the government had reportedly located the base station for the aircraft.

“Just yesterday, the security of the entire Pacesetter State was shaken to its roots when insurgents unleashed terror on the Operation Burst Base located along Igbeti-Igboho Road in Oorelope Local Government Area of the state.

“At the end of the over one-hour operation, the gunmen carted away some important items and set ablaze the security post and a vehicle. Thankfully, no casualty was recorded during the attack,” he said.

The opposition party recalled the state government’s announcement last month that it had received and deployed two aircraft for security surveillance.

According to Sadare, the prolonged attack should prompt the government to explain whether the aircraft were operational and being effectively deployed to monitor vulnerable areas.

“Since the day Governor Makinde celebrated the purported delivery of the two aircraft, nothing has either been heard or felt about their deployment to survey the airspace in the state,” he said.

He added: “Sadly, Igbeti, where the base station for the aircraft was reportedly situated, came under heavy attack for more than an hour and there was no surveillance aircraft to track the attackers and possibly repel them.

“Therefore, it is safe to say that the whole story about security surveillance aircraft is another question begging for answers.”

Sadare also criticised what he described as the huge resources committed to the acquisition of the surveillance aircraft, alleging that the reported N7.8 billion expenditure could have been deployed to other security technologies and facilities.

He further challenged Makinde to account for the increased revenue accruing to the state, rather than concentrating on criticism of the economic policies of the Federal Government.

“On many occasions, Governor Makinde has said that the removal of fuel subsidy and flotation of the naira by the Tinubu administration were designed to punish Nigerians and enrich the governors.

“Going by his claims, he has been enriched tremendously as a serving governor, but the fundamental question is what he has done to transform the life of the common man in Oyo State in the last seven years,” he said.

The APC spokesman alleged that the state government had failed to make adequate use of its resources to address pressing challenges facing residents.

“It is apparent that Governor Makinde has failed to utilise the humongous revenues to transform the state as he continues to waste taxpayers’ money on inanities and cosmetic projects,” Sadare alleged.

The party urged the state government to clarify the operational status of the surveillance aircraft and strengthen security measures in vulnerable communities across the state, particularly in the wake of the latest attack.

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected producer of substances believed to contain methanol following the sudden deaths of about 30 residents of Araromi-Obu and other communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested after the police commenced an investigation into the deaths reportedly linked to the consumption of suspected contaminated alcoholic drinks and concoctions.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday evening.

Jimoh said the suspect was assisting the police with the investigation, adding that substances suspected to contain methanol had also been recovered.

He said the recovered substances had been subjected to further investigation and forensic examination to determine their exact composition and establish whether they were linked to the reported deaths.

The police spokesperson added that the bodies of the deceased were also undergoing medical and forensic procedures to establish the actual cause of death.

He said, “The outcome of these examinations is expected to provide further medical evidence regarding the actual cause of the deaths.”

Jimoh further disclosed that operatives of the state Criminal Investigation Department had arrested 14 other suspects comprising alleged sellers and consumers of the drinks and concoctions at different locations in the affected communities.

The development came days after the Ondo State Government confirmed that 29 people had died following the suspected consumption of contaminated alcoholic beverages in Araromi-Obu and other communities in Odigbo LGA.

The state Commissioner for Health, Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, who disclosed this on Friday, said 60 cases had so far been recorded.

According to him, three of the affected persons were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 27 others were under medical observation.

The commissioner said about 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55.

He listed the affected communities as Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga.

Awolowo-Ajaka said the victims presented symptoms including headache, body pain, general weakness, visual impairment, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness.

He added that some of the patients deteriorated rapidly and died within a few hours.

Following the development, the Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, directed sustained enforcement against the production, distribution and sale of unapproved, adulterated or otherwise dangerous alcoholic substances across the state.

The police said the investigation was ongoing, while the forensic examination of the recovered substances and the remains of the deceased would help determine the exact cause of the deaths.

The Ondo State Government has ordered the immediate ban on the sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic drinks and other substances following the deaths of 29 people in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The government also directed security agencies to take immediate action against the sale and distribution of illegal and unapproved products across the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, announced the directive in a statement on Saturday following the deaths and reported cases of illness in several communities in Odigbo.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, had earlier confirmed that 29 people had died after consuming a suspected contaminated alcoholic drink, while 60 suspected cases had been recorded.

Ajaka said three of the affected persons were receiving treatment in hospitals, while 27 others were under medical observation.

According to him, 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55, with cases reported mainly in Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparaga communities.

The commissioner listed the symptoms recorded among the victims as headache, body pain, general weakness, visual disturbance, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness.

He said some of the patients deteriorated rapidly, resulting in death within a few hours.

Ajaka, however, said the government had yet to establish scientifically that the suspected alcoholic drink was responsible for the deaths.

“The pattern of illness and reported history of exposure have raised strong epidemiological suspicion of exposure to a probable toxic alcoholic substance.

“However, we are yet to have laboratory evidence of the cause of the deaths,” he said.

The commissioner said 36 blood and urine samples had been collected from affected persons for laboratory analysis, while samples of the suspected alcoholic substances had also been submitted for toxicological investigations.

Meanwhile, the state government said scientific officers from the Ministry of Health had been deployed to the affected communities to investigate the substance suspected to be responsible for the deaths and determine its exact composition.

The government urged residents to stop purchasing or consuming unverified alcoholic drinks and other substances, particularly products packaged in sachets or bottles without the approval of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

It also warned sellers and distributors against purchasing, selling or making available for public consumption any substance whose source, content or regulatory status could not be verified.

“Anyone found violating this directive will face the full wrath of the law,” the government warned.

The government said the directive was aimed at preventing further loss of lives and ensuring that the incident did not spread to other parts of the state.

It urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious products and activities to the relevant authorities.

The government said the directive was part of the efforts of the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths, protect residents and prevent further casualties.

It assured residents that the investigation would continue until the substance responsible for the deaths, if confirmed, was identified.