Six suspects arrested in connection with the crisis that visited the protest against police brutality at Ogbomoso recently have been freed by the court as prayed by Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde.
This is as hundreds of youths trooped on Tuesday again in some areas in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and blocked the Ojoo end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in continuation of the #EndSARS protests.
The suspects released are Olaoluwa Busayo, Olagoke David, Olusola Matthew, Amole Adebayo, Adedokun Segun, and Ganiyu Saheed.
The protest against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had led to vandalization of the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade on Sunday 10th of October, 2020 while the six suspects were apprehended by the police as being part of those responsible for the attack on the palace.
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A statement issued by the State Ministry of Justice, titled ‘Re-unconditional Release of the 6 Suspects Arrested In Ogbomoso in Connection with Ongoing National Protest’ and signed by the Director Public Prosecution, Nathaniel Okeniyi on Tuesday and made available to the press said, upon the visit of the State governor to Ogbomoso immediately after the incident after which the governor visited the palace and later addressed protesters, he promised to set the arrested individuals free as demanded by the protesters.
“Sequel to the promise of his Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde at Ogbomoso to effect the release of the suspects arrested in connection with the protest, today, being 19th October 2020, the Chief Magistrate Court 2, Iyaganku Ibadan, on the application of Attorney General has discharged and withdrawn the charge filed against the suspects forthwith.”
Recall that governor Seyi Makinde gave his support to peaceful protest which he said was borne out of a high level of youths’ unemployment and poverty in the land, he called on the police to take the backseat in the protest while the men of ‘Operation Burst’ should give the protesters adequate protection and avert being hijacked by hoodlums.
Meanwhile, the youths as early as 7 am barricaded the expressway where those traveling to Oyo town and the northern part of the country would pass to link the Ibadan-Ilorin road.
Also, the protesters blocked various junctions on the Ojoo-UI road as they continued to chant, ‘EndSARS! No SWAT!’
They likewise mounted a roadblock in front of the police station in Ojoo in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The development caused gridlock thereby forcing vehicles to turn back and find alternative routes.
Some motorists had to park their vehicles by the roadside out of frustration.
