The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the Jobele Division in Afijio Local Government Area of the state, which reportedly resulted in the protest witnessed earlier, on Tuesday.

A statement released by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday, said the Assistant Superintendent of Police, who led the patrol team involved and the Divisional Police Officer have been issued queries respectively, while the Inspector concerned has been defaulted and detained pending the outcome of the investigation.

The PUNCH reports that scores of protesters had earlier on Tuesday disrupted both the human and vehicular movements at Jobele end of Ibadan/Oyo expressway in Afijio Local Government Area of the state as a result of cases of kidnapping, banditry and other vices.

The protest, according to our correspondent’s investigation, was due to the invasion of one of the communities in the area.

The protesters said, “Yesterday (Monday), the suspected kidnappers invaded one of our communities in an attempt to abduct a lady. An attempt was made to kidnap a lady but she narrowly escaped by scaling the fence.

“Even though she narrowly escaped, she received a deep matchet cut in one of her hands. This was not the first time that such an incident had happened in the area. We are not going to leave the road until our (residents) safety is guaranteed by the relevant security agencies.”

However, a statement released by the PPRO on Tuesday said, “The Oyo State Police command has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the Jobele Division, which reportedly resulted in the protest witnessed earlier today.

“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, the ASP who led the patrol team involved and the Divisional Police Officer have been issued queries respectively, while the Inspector concerned has been defaulted and detained pending the outcome of the investigation.

“The investigation has since commenced in accordance with established rules, regulations, and the law to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure appropriate disciplinary actions where necessary.”

Also, Dolapo Awotunde of Ward 8, in a statement, disclosed that Afijio Local Government, in recent times, has recorded not less than seven kidnapping cases.

The statement read, “It is no longer news that kidnapping has become rampant in Afijio Local Government Area, particularly in Jobele. The community has recorded not less than seven kidnapping-related incidents in recent times, and sadly, another disturbing attack occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning. During the attack, a victim was brutally wounded by the perpetrators. The victim was rushed to the General Hospital and later referred to Ogbomoso for advanced treatment. Unfortunately, one of his hands has been amputated due to the severity of the injuries sustained.

“Following this disturbing development, concerned residents of Jobele decided to take responsibility for the safety of their community by keeping vigil throughout Sunday night into Monday morning.

At about 1:00 a.m. today, community members apprehended a suspicious individual allegedly found with a gun, a cutlass, and other dangerous weapons. In good faith and as law-abiding citizens, the suspect was handed over to the police at the Jobele Police Station for proper investigation and prosecution.

“However, in a shocking twist, when community members visited the police station this morning to inquire about the suspect, they discovered that the suspect had already been released without any explanation and without involving the members of the community who apprehended him. This development has caused serious outrage and concern among residents. In response, community members, including students, have blocked the Old Oyo–Ibadan Road and the major highway, Ibadan- Oyo-Ogbomoso, demanding to know why the suspect was released and who ordered the release.

“This situation raises serious concerns about the security of lives and property in Jobele and the surrounding communities. We call on the relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Oyo State Police Command, and the Oyo State Government, to urgently investigate this matter and address the growing insecurity in Afijio Local Government Area,” the statement added. (PUNCH)

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