The Ondo State Police Command on Thursday said it had deployed its men in the checkpoints on the highways following the withdrawal of soldiers from the roads.

The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress-led government had traded words over the alleged withdrawal of the soldiers.

While the PDP accused the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of failing to pay the soldiers their allowances, the government said the PDP was playing politics with the security of the people, as well as trying to rubbish the activities of the Amotekun Corps.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, in a statement in Akure, said: “We find it expedient to respond to the state government’s flat and clueless statement.

“Governor Rotimi Akeredolu should own up to his failure to live up to his responsibility in this regard.”

But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, on Thursday said the state police command had deployed its men to the abandoned checkpoints to avert the return of the bands on the highways.

She said, “After what happened, we have deployed our men to those axes because people have been apprehensive of probable breach of security in those areas and that is why we have to act now to allay fears of residents and motorists.”

She urged commuters and motorists to go about their lawful businesses and report any extortion by any police officers to the command.