The Oyo State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the civil unrest that erupted in the Ojoo area of Akinyele Local Government Area, assuring residents that all those responsible for the violence will be brought to justice.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, where a comprehensive investigation has commenced.
According to Ayanlade, detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged attempted robbery, the ensuing mob action, the public disturbance and other criminal acts linked to the incident.
“The Command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and warns members of the public against taking the law into their own hands under any circumstances. While citizens are encouraged to report crimes and support law enforcement, suspects must always be handed over to the police for proper investigation and prosecution,” the statement said.
The police urged residents to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, while calling on community leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders not to allow criminal elements exploit the incident to incite ethnic or communal violence.
The Command also assured residents that adequate security personnel had been deployed to the affected area and other strategic locations across the Ibadan metropolis to prevent any further breakdown of law and order.
“The Oyo State Police Command appreciates the cooperation, understanding and support of law-abiding residents and reassures the good people of the state of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property. All persons found culpable in connection with the incident will face the full weight of the law,” Ayanlade added.
The unrest reportedly followed the death of a commercial tricycle rider after an altercation linked to a Point-of-Sale (PoS) transaction in Ojoo on Tuesday night.
According to eyewitnesses, the rider had withdrawn money from a PoS operator, but a network failure prevented immediate confirmation of the transaction. The disagreement reportedly escalated when the rider was allegedly assaulted by individuals at the scene. He later died in hospital, triggering protests and violent clashes that left several people dead and others injured, while businesses in the area were forced to shut down.
Reacting to the development, the Oyo State Government appealed for calm and assured residents that everyone involved in the violence would be identified and prosecuted.
Speaking during an assessment visit on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Deputy Governor, Barr. Bayo Lawal, attributed the unrest to criminal elements and stressed that criminality should not be given an ethnic colouration.
“The civil unrest in this area has been instigated by criminal elements. Criminals are simply criminals, and criminality has no tribal identity. Our priority is to restore peace and stability in Ojoo and across Oyo State,” Lawal said.
He appealed to residents, particularly youths, to cooperate with security agencies and allow ongoing investigations to run their course.
