EndSARS: Nigerian Police Admit Killing Protester In Oyo

The Nigerian Police Force on Friday said its operatives shot dead one of the EndSARS protesters simply identified as Dada in the Olomi Academy area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The police explained that Dada was allegedly caught with an AK-47 rifle during the protest and opened fire on the investigating team of the force at Olomi area before he was gunned down.

The Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, Innocent Heede, who stated this before Justice Mashood Abass of the Oyo State High Court, said one of the suspects arrested with AK-47 rifle during the October 20, 2020, EndSARS protest in the state, Adekunle Moruf, confessed that he was part of the people who burnt six police stations in the state.

SaharaReporters had reported that Adeshina Irewole, Ikechekwu Eze, Ariyo Sadiq, Ariyo Afeez, Ikenna Ameachi, Oyewole, Olumide,Taoheed Abiodun, Adekunle Moruf, Rasheed Tiamiyu were arrested for their roles in the October 20, 2020, EndSARS protest in the state.

Innocent said, “We detained the suspects for conspiracy, armed robbery, murder and arson. The viral video was given to the investigating team by CSP Shola Aremu, the commandant of the squad, who asked us to investigate.”

The IPO said the team went to the area and showed the video to people living in the area to identify the persons in it and that was how the investigation started.

“To do the job, we had to go with a joint task force to effect the arrest. Adesina Orewole acknowledged that indeed he was in the video and that he knew many other people in the video.”

He further said Ariyo Sadiq also made a confessional statement they were there together at the protest ground, which led to killing of officers and burning of houses.

The police officer also alleged that Olumide was also seen in the video holding a stick.

Speaking further, the police sergeant said, “We were called at Ashi police station that there was a boy named, Moruf Adekunle, who was caught with an AK-47 rifle in the Agbowo area of Ibadan and he has been arrested but the rifle is yet to be recovered.”

He said the suspect confessed that he took part in burning of stations, killing of policemen before he took the rifle from a policeman that was killed at the Ojo Police Station.

According to him, he gave the rifle to Rasheed Tiamiyu and one Dada who came to pick the rifle in the Agbowo area of Ibadan.

“Then Rasheed was arrested. He confessed that truly Moruf called him and Dada was with him at that time. They both went together to get the gun but Moruf handed the gun over to Dada at Olomi area.

“We visited the scene of the incidence to take an inventory of items burnt. In the first station, Motor traffic division, Iwo road express, 16 vehicles and the station were burnt down. Engines and doors of the burnt vehicles were removed.

“At main station at UI road, 15 vehicles were burnt down as well as the police station. The engines and the door of the vehicle were also removed.”

Justice Abass Mashood therefore adjourned the case to Monday, September 13, 2021, for further hearing.