Traffic gridlock paralysed both the old and new Ibadan–Oyo roads for hours on Tuesday as students and residents staged a protest, blocking vehicular movement to register their grievances over rising insecurity.
The protesters, joined by students in the area, accused the police of unjust treatment of residents of Jobele and neighbouring communities, which have recently experienced violent attacks.
Tension gripped Jobele in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State as residents protested alleged cases of kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities in the community. The demonstrators blocked the Ibadan–Oyo Road, disrupting both human and vehicular movement.
The protesters decried the worsening security situation in the area and called on relevant security agencies to urgently intervene to safeguard lives and property.
According to the protesters, suspected kidnappers invaded one of the communities along the axis on Monday.
They said: “On Monday, the suspected kidnappers invaded one of the communities along the axis. An attempt was made to kidnap a lady but she narrowly escaped by scaling the fence.
“Even though she narrowly escaped, she received a deep machete cut on one of her hands. This was not the first time such an incident would happen in the area.
“We are not going to leave the road until our safety is guaranteed by the relevant security agencies.”
There are reports that the community has recorded not fewer than seven kidnapping-related incidents in recent times, with the latest attack occurring between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Some of the protesters noted that “during the attack, a victim was brutally wounded by the perpetrators. The victim was rushed to the General Hospital and later referred to Ogbomoso for advanced treatment. Unfortunately, one of his hands has been amputated due to the severity of the injuries sustained.
“Following this disturbing development, concerned residents of Jobele decided to take responsibility for the safety of their community by keeping vigil throughout Sunday night into Monday morning.
“At about 1:00 a.m., community members apprehended a suspicious individual allegedly found with a gun, a cutlass and other dangerous weapons.
“In good faith and as law-abiding citizens, the suspect was handed over to the police at the Jobele Police Station for proper investigation and prosecution.
“However, in a shocking twist, when community members visited the police station this morning to inquire about the suspect, they discovered that the suspect had already been released without any explanation and without involving the members of the community who apprehended him.
“This development caused outrage among residents and, in response, community members, including students, blocked the Old Oyo–Ibadan Road and the major Ibadan–Oyo–Ogbomoso highway, demanding to know why the suspect was released and who ordered the release.
“We call on the relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Oyo State Police Command and the Oyo State Government, to urgently investigate this matter and address the growing insecurity in Afijio Local Government Area.”
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said: “The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the Jobele Division, which reportedly resulted in the protest witnessed on Tuesday, 10th March.
“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, the ASP who led the patrol team involved and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) have been issued queries respectively, while the Inspector concerned has been defaulted and detained pending the outcome of the investigation.
“The investigation has since commenced in accordance with established rules, regulations and the law to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure appropriate disciplinary actions where necessary,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, normalcy has been restored to the road by security agents while investigations into the matter continue.
(ChannelsTV)
