Adeolu Adeyemo, Author at Tribune Online

Angry protesters led by the Osun State police watch jointly set up by Nigerian Bar Association (Osogbo Branch), National Human Rights Commission (Osun command) and the Osun civil society organisations in the #EndSARS movement on Friday trooped out in hundreds in Osogbo, Osun State capital to protest incessant extrajudicial killings by the ranks and files of the state police command in the state. The fierce-looking protesters who were furious about the latest alleged killing of a phone technician identified as Afolabi Abiola Olamide who was reportedly shot three days ago by the policemen after allegedly refusing to give them the money demanded from him, called for the immediate removal of the state police command whose hands said to have been soaked with the killed innocent person's blood since he was deployed to the state. They took to the major streets of the town to express their grievances on the dastardly act they described as callous, wicked and barbaric. The protesters who marched around major places in the town later converged at the popular Orita-Iya junction where they addressed the populace and condemned the brutal killing of the deceased. As a result of the peaceful protest, commercial vehicle operators, Okada riders, passersby and other roadside hawkers joined the group to condemn the brutish way the police officers usually behaved in the society. Speaking with newsmen on the incident, Comrade Oluwasegun Idowu, Spokesperson, Osun Police Watch & member state judicial panel on police brutality, Human activists, Comrade Ayo Ologun and Comrade Waheed Saka, frowned at the way and manner innocent souls are being terminated In the state by the acclaimed law enforcement agents. A press conference addressed by Comrade Idowu, goes thus: "We received with shock on Thursday the news of the alleged shooting of Mr Afolabi Abiola Olamide around 12.30 am in front of his house at the Capital Area, Osogbo on Sunday 3rd of April, 2022." "The victim was said to have been shot in the leg by men of the police force from the Housing Estate police station, ring road Osogbo while he was eating dinner with his friend Matthew (who is currently being detained) and his girlfriend (who was also arrested but has since been released)." "After several interventions, we are shocked that the Osun Police Command has since not been able to give any details as to the reason for the shooting or the whereabouts of the victim." "We are aware of the underground moves to accuse the victims of armed robbery so as to justify the shooting whereas there are eyewitnesses who may disagree with this idea and we await how this will play out in the court of law and public opinion." "While we appreciate the efforts of the Police Complaints Response Unit (PCRU) and Mrs Abiodun Ige (Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on security) that has ensured that calm is maintained in the public space in Osogbo, we however have a few questions for the Osun Police Command: "What offence did the victims commit that warranted the use of force in their own house as late as 12.30 am? Why have they refused to disclose the whereabouts of Mr Abiola to the family and to lawyers since Sunday when the incident happened? Is Mr Abiola still alive? If yes, where is he? And if no, where is the body?" "May we quickly recall that the Osun State Command of the Nigerian Police Force other than protecting the citizenry has almost become an abattoir where lives are freely taken without a recourse." "We recall the extrajudicial killing by the police of three young men while being transported to the Ilesa correctional centre and till now the case is been swept underground with the police officers involved not being exposed and brought to justice." "We also recall the extrajudicial killing of one Prince Olabomi who was murdered in cold blood at the Oke Onitea area of the state capital and despite calls by the people for justice, the case is still not been given the needed attention and closure needed in ensuring that the police officer responsible is brought to book and justice served." "While we understand the very sensitive period the state is in given the forthcoming gubernatorial election, we wish to state that if the issues surrounding the disappearance of Mr Afolabi Abiola Olamide are not resolved in forty-eight hours, we shall mobilize the young population of this state in a mother of all protest not just about him but as it concerns every extrajudicial killing that has taken place in the state in the last one year or thereabout that the present commissioner of police has been in charge." "We are tempted to believe the Commissioner of Police in the state is an accomplice in all the crimes perpetrated by his officers and men given his unpleasant quietness about the killings and the extortions of innocent citizens by members of the police force under his command." "We condemn in very strong terms the use of excessive force that is now becoming the operational code of the men of Osun Command of the Nigeria Police which has resulted in deaths of some citizens of the state. " "We also condemn the brazen disregard for the rule of law and the provisions of the police act in illegally detaining suspects and denying them their right to a lawyer as constitutionally provided." Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased were drenched with tears to mourn the departed soul they described as an easy-going personality. One of them who identified himself as Abiodun, however, hinted that it had been confirmed by a police officer that, Abiola is dead and that his remains had been deposited at an undisclosed hospital. 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