There was confusion in Osogbo, Osun State capital on Monday as angry soldiers numbering about 30 invaded the headquarters of the Osun State Police Command.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that the soldiers who were fully dressed in their camouflage uniform stormed the police headquarters at Ring Road in two buses and motorcycles.

It was gathered that they forcefully gained access into the police headquarters and made attempt to hijack guns from some of the policemen they met at the gate.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mrs Abiodun Ige, was not in the office when the incident happened but other senior police officers managed the situation and prevented the policemen at the headquarters from engaging the soldiers in a fight.

Though, the main reason for the action of the military men could not be ascertained, sources said they came to liberate one of them, Taofeeq Afolabi that was arrested by police for robbery.

According to sources, Taofeeq was arrested by policemen from Dugbe Division on Saturday when he allegedly robbed a man that withdrew money on the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) at a bank.

The suspect was said to have stabbed his victim on the head with a knife when he robbed him. The policemen detained him in connection with the crime but his colleagues wanted to liberate him.

The matter caused panic in the area as people ran for safety. In the process, policemen apprehended three soldiers while others left the police headquarters when they could not break into the cell.

It was learnt that a top military officer from the Nigerian Army’s Engineering Construction Regiment, (ECR) Ede later came and met senior police officer and the three soldiers were released to him after the meeting.

The soldier that was arrested and detained for robbery was still in police cell at the police headquarters as at the time of filling this report.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Folashade Odoro, declined comment, saying “official statement will be issued later”. (Daily Trust)

Update news