Two policemen and one civilian were on Thursday confirmed dead as a result of the fracas that ensued between the protesters and Policemen in the Abayomi area of Ibadan.
According to an eyewitness who spoke with the Integrity Reporters at the scene of the incident posited that “a policeman and his partner hit an okadaman from behind with his car at Iwo Road junction and refused to stop just to sympathize with the okadaman who later died as a result of the accident. We chased them and got them back to Abayomi junction and we’re burnt to ashes.
Also, an Army Officer who was on ground to maintain peace and order who spoke with on condition of anonymity confirmed that the policemen were the cause of the sad occurrence that happened.
He said, ” the problem occurred when a policeman knocked down an okadaman with his car, and in retaliation the protester killed the two of them, burnt them and their car to ashes and if not for us that are here, this police station would have been burnt down by now.”
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde while addressing the angry protesters who have converged at the entrance of the Idi Ape Testing Ground Police Area Command, appealed to the protesters to calm down, and don’t allow the miscreants to hijack the peaceful protest.
He said, ” I don’t want to loose any of you, I don’t want anyone of you to die as a result of this protest, I will be meeting with the Oyo State Commissioner of Police immediately I leave here, and I will talk to him, to see how he will take all the Policemen out of the streets so you can have a peaceful protest.
“The Army Officers that are here are to secure you, they are Operatives of the Operation Burst Security, so they will not harm you nor kill anyone of you, but to protect you.
“I have asked my people to mount a complaint unit desk inside Army Barrack Children School here, so you can go there too and lodge your complaints if your house, car, or anything whatsoever has been lost to this protest just in a peaceful manner lodge your complaint and I can assure you that the government the will do the needful.
“All I want from you people is a peaceful protest, because my life is not more than your lives, I don’t want us to waste our lives, I will be having with immediate effect meeting with the State Commissioner of Police, CP. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, but in the meantime, my people will be here with you to maintain safety and order, they are here to protect you. “So I beg you don’t destroy anybody’s properties, don’t destroy or vandalize any properties, I beg you all. Makinde
