Calm And Confidence Gradually Coming Upon Police In Oyo, As Iwo Rd Fully Opens To Traffic
The Oasis Reporters
November 13, 2020
Without a doubt, when hoodlums hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protests in Ibadan, members of the Nigerian Police bore the brunt of the seething anger towards some of the excesses of a few rouge SARS policemen in the force.
Owing to the illegal extra judicial killings by the rouge elements of the force, some hoodlums had hidden under the cover of the peaceful protests to vent mayhem on some of the policemen in their homes, burning police stations in Ibadan metropolis and a few other locations nationwide.
Many innocent officers unfortunately lost their lives, amongst them, those who had never participated in the ugly excesses of the rouge officers of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS men.
The personal intervention and street credibility of Governor Makinde in appeasing the crowd saved the very crucial Testing Ground Police Station and barracks, itself a shouting distance to Seyi Makinde’s personal office before he became governor.
Consequently and as a precautionary measure, the police men blocked off a portion of the strategic Iwo road, a significant hub of financial houses on the road which also houses the Testing Ground police barracks.
Accessing the banks on Iwo road became a traumatic experience for citizens of the ancient South West city who had to operate with caution using their internal security men, without the backup of the grieving police men who had lost officers to the mayhem.
Early this week, the police officers seem to have opened their side of the road to allow for the free flow of traffic, and now, Ibadan dwellers can visit banks on the road for transactions, albeit cautiously as calm is continually being restored.
However, the Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has on November 10 inaugurated the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings. The panel is made up of eleven (11) members led by Justice Bolajoko Adeniji (retired), as Chairman of the Panel.
Members of the panel are drawn from the legal community, the National Human Rights Commission, the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), the National Youth Council of Nigeria, youth representatives of End SARS protesters and the community.
“This panel was constituted pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Oyo State Commission of Inquiry Law Cap 32 of the Laws of Oyo State 2000 which empowers the Governor to set up a commission of inquiry. However, as the scope is beyond Oyo State, we’re collaborating with the Federal Government”, he further added.
This afternoon, we inaugurated the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings. The panel is made up of eleven (11) members led by Justice Bolajoko Adeniji (retired), as Chairman of the Panel. pic.twitter.com/4p0i1JODI9
— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) November 10, 2020
Governor Seyi Makinde equally encouraged anyone who has faced human rights abuse in the hands of any of the security forces to use this opportunity to seek justice and also stated that those responsible for the deaths of Isiaka Jimoh, Ganiyu Moshood Alabi, and Adeoye Taiwo would be brought to book.
