By DAPO FALADE
Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has freed six suspects arrested in connection with the crisis that visited the protest against the recent police brutality at Ogbomoso.
As contained in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Wasiu Olatubosun, Ph.D, the suspects who were freed by the court, as prayed by the governor, include Olaoluwa Busayo, Olagoke David, Olusola Matthew, Amole Adebayo, Adedokun Segun and Ganiyu Saheed.
Recalled that the protest against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) led to vandalisation of the palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade on Sunday, 10th of October, 2020.
The six suspects were subsequently apprehended by the police for allegedly being part of those responsible for the attack on the palace.
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, Mr Nathaniel Okeniyi on Tuesday stated that that the suspects have been released.
The statement further stated that “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October, 2020, the Chief Magistrate Court 2, Iyaganku Ibadan, on application of Attorney General has discharged and withdrawn the charge filed against the suspects forthwith.”
Recall that Governor Makinde, in a state broadcast after the violent protest in Ogbomoso, gave his support to peaceful protest which he said was borne out of high level of youths’ unemployment and poverty in the land.
The governor had called on the police to take the back sit in the protest and also instructed that the men of ‘Operation Burst’ should give the protesters adequate protection and avert its being hijacked by hoodlums.
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