Oyo: Police arrest 20 students over protests

Over 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with last week’s violent protests against the Oyo State government’s cancellation of automatic promotion in public schools, the state police command has disclosed.

The protests were reported to have hit its height when some students of Isale-Oyo Community High School, Oyo town, reportedly torched some classrooms over mass failure in their examination.

Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who made this disclosure while speaking with Metro, assured that the arrested persons, instigators or sponsors, upon conviction, would be charged to court.

He added that the majority of the arrested suspects were students who had been transferred to Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, Iyaganku.

“We have arrested over 20 suspects. We won’t spare their sponsors or instigators. Anyone of them indicted will be arrested and prosecuted. It is not unlikely that some individuals or group of individuals may want to disrupt academic activities in those schools,” he said.

“We are investigating the incident and anyone found culpable will be charged to court. We have made some arrests. The Commissioner of Police has directed all Divisional Police Officers and Area commanders to fortify security around public schools in the state.”

While noting that investigations into the incident continued, Ajisebutu restated the admonition of the state Commissioner of Police, Sam Adegbuyi, to parents, guardians to warn their wards or children against being involved in violent acts.