How DPO Led Officers That Shot The Nation Correspondent In Osun-NUJ Chair Narrates

The Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Shina Abubakar, yesterday narrated how the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Dugbe Division, Osogbo, Oyegade, led the policemen that shot Toba Adedeji of The Nation Newspaper and others during a protest.

Abubakar who featured on a private radio alongside the NUJ Chairman, Wasiu Ajadosu and a human rights activist, Ayo Ologun, said Oyegade arrived at the scene in a mini-bus and started shooting into the air.

“The students were returning from Ilesa where they went to bury one Afolabi Abiola that was allegedly killed by the police last month. They were saying the police has not produced the officer that killed Abiola.

“The police led by Dugbe DPO, Oyegade, arrived from a mini-bus and started shooting. While the protesters were running away, the policemen pointed guns at the running protesters.

“I faced the man that shot and told him, you fired a live bullet at us. I said it twice. He did not say anything. He just turned back. It was then we rushed Toba to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital to first save him.”

The NUJ Chairman, Ajadosu, described the action of the police as unfortunate, barbaric, unwarranted and uncalled for, saying “we are going to pursue this to the conclusion.”

According to Ajadosu, Afolabi Abiola, Olufemi Oriyomi and Saheed Olabomi, a relative of the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdurasheed Olabomi, have been shot dead this year and their killers have not been produced by the police.

He said, “this gross indiscipline is a result of leadership problem. The CSOs have been shouting and demanding the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police. We have given the police 7-day to redeploy the CP Olawale Olokode and we shall continue to make the noise until our demands are met.

A human rights activist, Ayo Ologun, condemned the action of the police, saying “shooting guns to unarmed protesters is beyond the rule of engagement.

He said, ” it was wrong for the police to have shot the live bullet. What the students were trying to protest was a result of the misdemeanour of a police officer in April. The DPO lied to us that he did not arrest any other person and we later discovered that he arrested mourners.”