Police Brutality.. When Trigger- Happy Policeman killed man a day
to his child’s naming ceremony in Ibadan.
Another killed by stray
bullets during protest
By Ayo Ademokoya (Another heart rendering story from my archive)
Hell was let loose on
Sunday, 8th of February 2014 at Oje,Ode-
Aje and Agugu Area of Ibadan yesterdaywhen trigger -happy policemen suspected
to come from Agugu Divisional police headquarters, killed an okada called Ojo ,
a toll collector, issuing tickets at Idi ayunre, Oje junction while another 22year old boy named Taoreed
Adedigbin who joined the mob to protest the killing of Ojo at Agugu
police post junction Ibadan was also gunned down by the police who were sent to
quell the riot.
According to an witness,
the incidence which led to the death of Ojo happened around 9:30am and ojo who left
his mother’s place at Ode Aje where he had his breakfast arranged for naming of
his child which was expected to take place the following day 9th of February,
2014, with his parent before leaving for work where he met his untimely death few
moment after that fateful Sunday morning.
Reports had it that that
the incidence is about the 6th
time in the year the police had killed innocent citizens in the area and the
residence of the area would not allow this particular incident to be swept
carpet hence they trooped out en masse to protest the senseless simply because
Ojo had argued with the said police who wanted
him out of the way when their convoy was moving only to be gunned down for his
reluctance to move on time.
It was said there was reinforcement
from the Agugu police station and instead of quelling the peaceful protest another
poor boy who was coming from the football field where he had gone to train was killed.
“They came down and
asked Ojo to let their convoy move afterward he can continue to collect his
toll from the Okada riders, Ojo insisted jokingly that he want to give the
change to the man whom he had collected money from and that they should be
patient for a while, only for one of the policeman to jump down from the car
corked the gun,
“What is wrong with you
people here do you think this gun am carrying is a toy gun? The policeman
queried firing a warning shot in to the air and another at Ojo who died
instantly.
The senior police
officer in the car was shocked and came down to try and rescue the situation by
dragging Ojo to a spot where he could receive first aid but the mob had
gathered, snatched his gun and beat him to stupor and later burn the police vehicle beyond recognition. It was operation burst who
rescued him and others from the mob attack.
Another eye witness who
simply gave his name as Saheed said, “I don’t know what ensued between them,
all I saw was the man saying “Kilo ma nse eyin gan te ma n ga apa bi turkey, se
oro pe ko sota ninu Ibon yi ni, (What is wrong with you touts that you are so stubborn,
do you think this is no bullet in this gun) he then fired a warning shot in the
air and then shot Ojo at close range.
The saddest thing was
Ojo has been going around for the naming ceremony of his child tomorrow ,Monday
the 9th of February) .
Angry mob chased the police van number NPF 2468C where the lifeless body of Ojo was packed in and taken to Agugu
Divisional Police Station and began to protest the senseless killing of the
innocent man at the junction leading to Agugu police station ,threatening to
burn it down also.
.
In a bid to condone off
the protester Armored tanks were rolled
out while the mob were teargas , firing sporadically live ammunition at armless youths
who are adamant to get justice as they continued to throw stones at the
policemen, set bonfires on the streets. Only then was the stray bullet hit
their second victim a 22year old boy named Taoreed Adegbindi who after playing
football joined the mob attack to protest at the police station. His lifeless
body was still at the scene when the reporter risked taking the pictures of
Ojo’s mother screaming and
shouting at the policemen to shoot her as she refused to leave the premises of
the Agugu Divisional Police station.
This however
aggravated the situation as commercial activities from Oje to Agugu through
Ode- Aje came to an were grounded for more than six hours while the mob
insisted on burning the police station as according to them the police must be
thought a lesson.
Heavily armed Police
reinforcement numbering about 200 came from Dugbe,Yemetu, Monatan and other
nearby division came condone off any assault by the angry youths while the
coprses of the victims were taken to a mortuary in the same police van number
NPF 2468C.
If not for the quick
intervention of the Oodua People Congress, Alhaji Kazeem Akinro together with
the OPC Secretary in Oyo State, Mr. Julius who accompanied the chairman,
Nigerian Union of Road and Transport
Workers Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde aka Fele who mediated between the mob and the police appealing to the angry youths
who were hell bent on burning down the police station and are ready to be
killed by them.
In his reaction, the Assistant
Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation who gave his name as Mr. Owolabi said that at the appropriate time the Police
Public Relation officer would address the press later on the incident as he was
at the scene of the incident on behalf of the police commissioner to protect
lives and property.
“As you can see we are
not happy with the situation. All we can do now is for you to help us appeal to
the mob to disperse, I cannot confirm or deny the incidence as we would be
properly brief and the proper investigations conducted .
Our reporter later went
to the house of the deceased where he spoke with the junior sister and
Khadijat Adedigbin
junior sister and Taoreed mother Mrs Samurat Adedigbin who just came out of
coma after hearing the death of his son
“Aaaah ,police had
ruined my life, I’ve been suffering all
alone with these five children since their
father died about 12 years ago, now that I’m suppose to enjoy the fruits of my
labour, police men threw me naked by killing my son, justice must be done” Mrs
Samurat said wailing.
“Why would my brother be
killed by policemen in cold blooded, I saw him yesterday while I was going to
work. He is the fourth child and we had no father …government must help us,
police my brother’s death should not go in vain and the culprits brought to
book”. Khadirat said
In his reaction Alhaji
Taofeek Oyerinde, Chairman Oyo state, Nigerian Union of Road and
Transport worker) who was at the scene of the incidence to quell the riots said
“You can see that we are
here to quell the rioting youths, they are visibly angry and am glad they are
listening to me, they are not members of my Union but as a stakeholder, I must
be here to make sure that the peace we are enjoying in Oyo state since Governor
Abiola Ajimobi came to power is sustained
Also the Chairman Oodua
People’s Congress Alhaji Kazeem Akinro, Ibadan North Local Government who was
assisting the police in making sure the situatution did not go out of hand also
said
picture 1 Mrs Samurat, mother of Taoreed Adedigbing that was gunned down by stray bullets
2 : Khadirat,Taoreed's sister
3) Mob gathering round Ojo's Blood splashed on the street(
first victim)..
4) Bonfire set up by angry mob
6) Armed Policemen securing the
police station
7) Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele)
trying to quell the riot
8) lifeless body of Taoreed Adedingbi
9)Akinro OPC chairman ,Agugu.
angry mob gathering for showdown with the police at the scene of th incidence
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