The Oyo State Police Command on Thursday has arrested four suspects in connection with the civil unrest that occurred in the popular Ojoo community in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
A statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade said the suspects are currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
The command strongly condemned the act of jungle justice and warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands under any circumstances.
While acknowledging the right of citizens to report crimes and assist law enforcement, it emphasized that suspects should always be handed over to the police for lawful investigation and prosecution.
The statement read: “Four suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the incident and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, where a comprehensive investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attempted robbery, the mob action, the ensuing public disturbance and all related acts of criminality.
“The command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and warns members of the public against taking the law into their own hands under any circumstances. While acknowledging the right of citizens to report crimes and assist law enforcement, it emphasizes that suspects should always be handed over to the police for lawful investigation and prosecution.”
The command, therefore, urged residents to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, while community leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders were encouraged not to allow criminal elements to exploit the unfortunate incident to foment ethnic or communal unrest.
It also assured residents that adequate security measures had been put in place across the affected area and other strategic locations within the metropolis to forestall any further breakdown of law and order.
“The Oyo State Police Command appreciates the cooperation, understanding and support of law-abiding residents throughout the operation and reassures the good people of Oyo State of its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property.
“All persons found culpable in connection with the incident will face the full weight of the law,” the statement added.
The PUNCH reports that about four people reportedly died, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries, during clashes that erupted on Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday morning following the killing of a commercial tricycle rider after a Point-of-Sale transaction at Ojoo in Akinyele Local Government Area.
The Oyo State Government has since appealed for calm and assured residents that those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice.
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Our correspondent observed that traders in the area, including operators at the popular Ojoo Motor Park managed by the Park Management System, hurriedly shut down their businesses following the violence.
One of the eyewitnesses, identified simply as Iya Kadijat, said: “The transaction became contentious after a network failure prevented confirmation of payment despite the customer having already collected the money.
“Around 11:00 p.m. and midnight yesterday, a man riding a Maruwa went to a POS at Strabag because he wanted to make a withdrawal.
“They gave him the money, but while they were trying to complete the transaction, the network was bad. He had already collected the money and used it, but the POS operator said the transaction had not gone through.
“‘This is the key to my Maruwa. This is my Maruwa. This is my phone. You can keep them. I’m not running anywhere.’
“While they were arguing, somebody suddenly came, slapped him and stabbed him. He did not die immediately. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but gave up the ghost on Wednesday morning. This did not go down well with his fellow tricycle riders, friends and some members of his family, who besieged the area,” she explained.
Another eyewitness, Azeez Olamiposi, said, “He had already collected the money and given it to the person he wanted to give it to. He kept telling them, ‘I can’t run away. My Maruwa is here. This is the key to it. This is my phone. Keep everything. I’m not running.’ But they didn’t listen. They started beating him and stabbing him.
“This morning, when Yoruba youths and other people came to find out what had really happened, the next thing we saw was people from the other side rushing there and starting a fight,” the witness said.
He alleged that an armed man, whose identity could not immediately be verified, appeared at the scene carrying an assault rifle.
“Before we knew it, there was a man who said he was either a policeman or a soldier. He was carrying an AK-47 and wearing a blue jalabiya. Everyone was afraid because of the gun he was carrying.
“He stood between the Yoruba and the Hausas, then told the Hausa people to chase the Yoruba away. Immediately, one of their men, whom they called ‘General’, brought out a gun and started shooting.
“The gunfire claimed another life. While he was shooting, he killed a young boy who had gone to buy Indomie. The boy died. Several other people were also injured and are now in hospital.”
Addressing residents during an assessment visit on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, attributed the unrest to criminal elements and assured residents that those responsible would be prosecuted.
He said: “The civil unrest in this area has been instigated by criminal elements. Criminals are simply criminals, and criminality has no tribal identity. Our priority is to ensure the restoration of peace and stability here in Ojoo and, indeed, across every part of Oyo State.
“Oyo State has always been renowned for its peaceful coexistence, stability, progress and development. Despite the current situation, we remain committed to sustaining that legacy.”
Lawal added, “We have come to appeal to our people, particularly the youths, to give peace a chance.
“The government has already commenced profiling and investigating those involved, and anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law, irrespective of whether they are Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba or from any other ethnic group. Criminality is not the exclusive preserve of any tribe.”
He assured residents that the government would uncover both the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.
“As a government, we are determined to establish the root cause of this crisis. Once the facts are established, we will deal with the matter decisively.
“For now, however, we appeal to all young people, elders and residents to vacate the area and allow the military and other security agencies to take full control of the situation.
“This will enable the security agencies to conduct a thorough assessment and determine exactly what transpired. If large crowds continue to gather or move around the area, it will hinder efforts to resolve the crisis effectively. Our objective is to achieve a lasting solution.
“Let us remain focused and united so that the efforts we are making to address these challenges will yield the desired results.”
He further assured residents that the state government would give the matter the highest priority.
“We ask our people to remain patient, as this matter will receive the same level of attention and commitment as other security challenges confronting the state.
“A full investigation will be carried out, and that responsible will be identified, prosecuted and brought before the courts,” he said.
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