The mayhem which occurred Thursday morning, DAILY POST recalls led to the killing of about six persons.

But, VOHRI lead activist, Comrade Sakirullahi Ayobami and General Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Abimbola, while addressing a press conference at the weekend in Ibadan, explained that the state government under the leadership of Governor Abiola Ajimobi has violated section 33 of the Nigerian constitution which guarantees the freedom to right to live of the people who died on Thursday.

They added that the police on the other hand, also acted contrary to its own act, Police Act section 1, which states that the primary role of the police is to protect lives and property of the people.

The duo while condemning the mayhem added that the state government has tampered with the fundamental human right of those who lost their lives, noting that the police instead of protecting the people went ahead to harass, intimidate and in the process about six people lost their lives, an offence VOHRI said was against the Police Act.

The group further alleged that the state government and the police have also committed contempt of court by going to the market on Thursday, because three court cases are still pending on the relocation of butchers in Ibadan.

The duo while issuing a 3-day ultimatum which starts from today (Monday) to the state government to reopen the Bodija abattoir and allow the courts to decide, however, declared that failure to heed to the advice of the organisation will lead to a 1 million man mass protest in Ibadan, the state capital.

While commensurating with those who have been affected by the crisis, VOHRI said it will compel the state government and the police to pay due compensations to those who were affected by the crisis through the courts.

They said, “Are we still in military regime? We want the government to explain to us who owns the Amosun abattoir. We condemn the action of the government and the police totally. And we have began the processes, we are going to file fundamental actions against the government and the police for the killing of the innocent people.

“Killing of innocent people is unconstitutional, demolition of the abattoir is unconstitutional. Is Ajimobi saying he is above the law? There are three cases, one at the magistrate court and two at the High Court. The case at the magistrate court has been adjourned till July 16, the two cases at the High Court are adjourned till October 24 and 25, so why did they go to the market to kill people? Are they saying they are above the law?

“The state government by sending the police and in the process some people were killed has committed offence against section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution. Right to life of the people has been violated. Are they now saying that those people don’t have right to life as stated in section 33? Did they see them with arms?

“The police whose salaries are being paid with our taxes, they are now using guns to kill people. We are going to sue the State government and the police. We are going to file fundamental actions against the state government and the police. The people have lost over N500m and they are going to pay for it. The police act, Section 1 states that, the primary function of the police is protection of lives and property of the people. We are filling fundamental actions against Oyo state government and the police over the Bodija killings.

“We are now issuing a 3-day ultimatum to Oyo state government to reopen the closed abattoir at Bodija market and let the courts decide. The ultimatum starts from Monday. Failure to do that, we are mobilising 1 million people in a mass protest in Ibadan. ”

The post How Ajimobi, Oyo police violated victims’ rights to life in market clash – VOHRI first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post How Ajimobi, Oyo police violated victims’ rights to life in market clash – VOHRI appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

An Ibadan-based lawyer, Barrister Olumuyiwa Afolabi, has commended the Oyo State Police Command for the arrest of a suspect linked to the 2016 assassination of 41-year-old lawmaker, Hon. Gideon Aremu, describing it as a significant breakthrough, urging security agencies to intensify efforts to unearth those behind other unresolved political killings in the state.

Hon. Aremu, who represented Oorelope State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly under the Labour Party (LP), was gunned down by a three-man gang on 1 July 2016 in front of his residence at Alaakia area of Ibadan.

Late lawmaker, Hon. Gideon Aremu

A vocal opposition figure, he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Public Relations and Security before his untimely death.

Following the murder, the Oyo Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu, had vowed to bring the killers to justice. Over a year later, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Odude, announced that a breakthrough had been recorded.

CP Odude revealed that the arrested suspect had fled to his hometown in Ekiti State after the incident and had been on the police wanted list ever since. His arrest came after he re-entered Ibadan quietly and led a gang to snatch a motorcycle in the Egbeda area of the city. It was during investigations into the robbery that detectives linked him to Aremu’s killing.

Reacting to the arrest, Barrister Afolabi, who spoke from an undisclosed location, praised the diligence of the police and described the development as “a step in the right direction.” However, he called for a broader and more thorough investigation into the killing, which he insisted bore clear political undertones.

“The arrest is commendable, but we must go deeper. Hon. Gideon Aremu’s killing was politically motivated. It’s time the police cast their net wider to ensure that not just the trigger men, but also the masterminds, are brought to justice,” Afolabi said.

The legal practitioner also highlighted a troubling pattern, noting that another opposition leader and grassroots politician, Hon. Busari Adelabu, was assassinated in Ibadan two years before Aremu’s murder. He revealed that his pursuit of justice for the late Busari had exposed him and his family to grave danger.

“In the course of investigating Hon. Busari’s murder — who was my client — my law office was attacked. My security guard, Mr Sunday John, and my secretary, Miss Sandra Kingsley, were killed. My home was also targeted, but by sheer providence, my family and I were not present. The assailants slaughtered my security dogs instead,” he recounted with emotion.

Afolabi stressed that justice must not remain elusive, referencing the high-profile assassination of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Chief Bola Ige, in Ibadan in 2001, which remains unresolved to date.

“We can’t continue like this. When those behind political killings are allowed to walk free, it emboldens others and threatens our democracy. The police have shown that with commitment, results can come. They must now pursue every lead and expose the forces behind these killings,” he urged.

The post Lawyer Lauds Police Over Arrest of Oyo Lawmaker’s Suspected Killer first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Lawyer Lauds Police Over Arrest of Oyo Lawmaker’s Suspected Killer appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.