Makinde frees 6 suspects arrested in connection with Ogbomoso crisis

Six suspects arrested in connection with the crisis that visited the protest against police brutality at the Ogbomoso area of Oyo State last week were freed by the court as promised by the governor of the state, Mr. Seyi Makinde.

The suspects, include Olaoluwa Busayo, Olagoke David, Olusola Matthew, Amole Adebayo, Adedokun Segun, and Ganiyu Saheed.

The protest against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led to the vandalization of the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi on Sunday, October 10, 2020, while the six suspects were apprehended by the police as being part of those responsible for the attack on the palace.

A statement issued by the state’s 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 of Public Prosecution,

Mr Nathaniel Okeniyi and made available to Vanguard, said, the governor promised to set the arrested individuals free as demanded by the protesters, upon his visit to Ogbomoso immediately after the incident, while addressing the protesters at the monarch’s palace.

The statement read: “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October 2020, the Chief Magistrate Court 2, Iyaganku Ibadan, on the application of Attorney General has discharged and withdrawn the charge filed against the suspects forthwith.”

Recall that Governor Makinde gave his support to peaceful protest, which he said, was borne out of a high level of youths’ unemployment and poverty in the land, calling on the police to take them back sit in the protest, while the men of ‘Operation Burst’ should give the protesters adequate protection and avert it is being hijacked by hoodlums.