Again, another #Endpolicebrutality protest rocks Osun


Protest against police brutality has rescucitated in Osogbo, Osun state, Friday, as some youths and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) barricaded Olaiya flyover over alleged killing of a 32-year-old businessman, Abiola Afolabi, by policemen in the state.


The protesters alleged that the police also detained a friend of the deceased, Matthew and harassed mother of one of the victims.


The protest got attention of some CSOs like Osun Police Watch, Dialogue 360, Transparency Accountability Group, who joined the protesting youths and barricaded roads for hours.


Addressing Journalists during the protest, Comrade Oluwasegun Idowu said “while Abiola Afolabi was in front of his house in at the Capital Area, Osogbo on Sunday 3rd of April, 2022 when some policemen arrive his house, shoot him on his leg and arrest his friend and one other person.

The police denied him access to his lawyer and family member. A family member who visited one of them was beaten by the police.


“We are demanding removal of CP Olawale Olokode for aiding police brutality in Osun State. He has swept several cases of killing by police under the carpet.”


The Aunt to the deceased, Bunmi Olaiya said, “Our son is not an armed robber. He was a businessman and gentle person to the core. I brought him to Osogbo. His mother is on the way to Osogbo. She must not know that her son was gruesomely murdered. The police authority must produce the policemen who killed Abiola, Olabomi a cousin to Aragbiji and others, else we shall be mobilising for a massive protest against the police in the coming days.”


However, the Public Relations Officer of Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, warned the protesters against taking laws into their hands.


“On 29th March, 2022 at about 02:14am, we received a distressed call from a woman around Dada Estate Area of the State, Zone Nine, about the activities of some suspected criminals who had jumped into her compound and invaded the premises carted away 1 laptop, 5 phones, N300,000 and other valuable items. 


“On Monday 4th 2022 at about 02:15am, the information received based on intelligence was that some fully armed suspected criminals and hoodlums were holding nocturnal meeting behind a house around the same Dada Estate Area. The police quickly stormed the area. On sighting the Police, the suspected criminals opened fire on them, police responded accordingly and in the process, one of the suspected criminals was hit and injured, two were arrested including a lady while others escaped through the bush.The injured suspected criminal was taken to a hospital for treatment but later died,” she explained.