…as angry youths lay siege on police
RESIDENTS of Ori-Oke Olurunkole in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday morning, woke up to the heartaching news of a middel-aged woman, Mrs Olufunmilayo, who was reportedly macheted to death by yet to be identified assailants on Thursday evening.
Akinyele axis of the the state in the last few months, has been in the news for continuous alleged ritual killing of both young and the old.
A number of arrest has been made by the police, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other perpetrators of the dastardly acts who were still at large.
Miffed by the development, angry youths in the area trooped out en-masse on a violent protest, which led to a serious attack on the police.
In an interview with Saturday Vanguard to confirm the incident, the state’s Police Public Relations Office, SP Gbenga Fadeyi disclosed that the the woman died in the process of the serious injuries inflicted on her at the University College Hospital (UCH) on Thursday night.
He said further: “The information got to us from Moniya Police Divisional Crime Officer that around 4:00pm yesterday (Thursday), one Mrs Olufunmilayo was attacked and macheted on the head. In the process, she sustained serious injuries.”
“The assailants ran away. She taken to the University College Hospital (UCH) for immediate medical attention where she died later in the night. And youths in the area came out this morning (Friday) and started protesting on the issue and at the end of the day, they started attacking policemen from Moniya area command.”
They seriously attacked our men, trying to cause breakdown of law and order. They took laws into their hands, which is not supposed to be the next thing to do. ”
“The police are always there to do what they are supposed to do and we will continue to do more.”
“If incident happened, they should allow the police to look into it and investigate in order to unravel the mystery behind it, not to carry out protest and it becomes a violent one, attacking the police.”
“But as the case is now, no arrest has been made, because the issue is still in. We will surely get the details,” he assured.
While reacting to the unfortunate incident, the Caretaker Chairman of Akinyele Local Government, Mr. Taoreed Jimoh, shed light to what led to the protest by the angry youths.
According to him: “We heard that the woman was macheted, she was rescued immediately and taken to UCH, so we heard the report that she died this morning.”
“That was what prompted residents to embark on a mass protest, unfortunately, the peaceful protest was hijacked by hoodlums. The hoodlums went to the extent of pelting security operatives with stones and other objects, but with the help of God, peace is gradually returning to the area and it is under control.”
“I have called Deputy Commissioner of Police on Operations and he has deployed more officers to the area, also, I called the Area Commander and Federal SARS and other security operatives and local security agents such as Soludero and others had arrived the area to calm the situation. The Alakinyele of Akinyele Oba James Odeniran was also on ground to rescue few police officers that the hoodlums manhandled.”
“The killing was carried out by suspected ritualists. Residents suspected a ritualist who was reportedly arrested by the police but allegedly escaped from their custody, he was seen in Akinyele two days ago and yesterday, the residents had to raise alarm and people are suspecting he was the one that carried out the dastardly act,” he hinted.