Protesters: Osun Police Attempt To Stop Us, Seized Our Vehicle

– Their Action Contradict October 1st Agreement -Police

By Khadeejah Adedimeji, Osogbo

The Osun Police Command has allegedly attempted to stop protesters from protesting by seizing their vehicle in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondent Chapel yesterday, the National President of the Take it Back movement, Oguntola Sunday, expressed his dissatisfaction over the illegal seizure of their vehicle despite the peaceful ongoing of the protest.

“The Nigerian Police Force came in their numbers and mobilized that we cannot hold a protest, they even had to hijack the vehicle that we rented to be our sound including our speakers, the DJ to work for us today and they hijacked the vehicle saying they cannot work for us that because we did not inform them about the protest before.

“We made it categorically clear to them that we do not need the permission of the Nigerian Police Force to hold a peaceful protest and assembly so we told them categorically that if you are hijacking our vehicle saying that we cannot hold a protest that you cannot hijack our vehicle.” he said.

He also added that the protest would continue until the cries of the masses are heard and the hardship inflicted on the masses by Tinubu’s administration is eradicated.

“..we cannot guarantee how long, for as long as Tinubu continues to suffer the masses we are going to be in the streets. If it is going to take him one year to listen to us, we are going to be on the streets. If it is going to take 10 years, we are still going to be on the streets.

“Our convergence point is going to be Freedom Park. We are going to be there as early as 7am to continue our protest and we are going to be marching from Freedom Park to Olaiya daily. That’s our movement and if there is a need for change we’ll communicate.” he stated.

Reacting, the command acting Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade said that action of the protesters were contrary to the earlier approval given by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

He said the IG has given October 1st to the protesters but it was unfortunate that the protesters in Osun acted contrary to the October 1st approval for the protest.

He said: “The national body of the movement wrote a letter to Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun informing him about their protest that was scheduled for October 1st and ends that same day, but to our surprise, today being the second day of October the protesters in Osun state decide to violate the earlier agreement reached with the police authority.

“This , I believe prompted our men to stop the protesters.

“On the allegations that their vehicle was seized during the illegal protest is what I cannot confirm to you now, but however, if actually their vehicle was seized, I can assure you that, their vehicle would be released to them”.