Makinde, police disagree on killing of #EndSARS protester in Oyo

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has confirmed the death of one Jimoh Isiaka who reportedly died on Saturday during the #EndSARS protest in the Ogbomoso area of the state.

The video footage of the reported shooting by the police of the victim and efforts to save his life by other protesters was shared via social media and it went viral for hours on Saturday.

The governor, who also confirmed at least seven other persons were seriously injured during the protest, said the situation was highly regrettable.

But the state police command debunked the reported shooting of EndSARS protesters in Ogbomoso by its personnel.

It said its men only fired teargas to scare away some protesters who tried to force their way into a police station.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some youths had, on Saturday, stormed major streets in Ogbomoso to demand the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

One of the protesters was said to have been shot by the police in the process.

An eyewitness told NAN that the victim was shot in the leg by the police when the protesters reached Owode police station in Ogbomoso.

The witness said that the man was shot, as the policemen were trying to ensure that the station was not attacked by the protesters.

Makinde said he had contacted Commissioner of Police, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and other relevant agencies, adding that investigations into what led to the incident were still ongoing.

The governor, in a message shared through his social media handles, promised to pay a personal visit to the family of the deceased and pursue the investigations to a logical conclusion.

He called for calm on the part of the people and appealed to the police to allow the residents to protest peacefully without fear of being assaulted.

He said, “I have received with deep sadness the news of the passing of one of our children, Jimoh Isiaka, who was shot during the ENDSARS protest in Ogbomoso. He later died at Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, earlier today.

“Also, at this same protest, Abdulrasaq Olawale, Oluwadamilare Gbolohunmi, and five other persons sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.

“This situation is highly regrettable. I have contacted the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and other relevant agencies, and investigations into what led to the unfortunate incident are still ongoing. I pray that God grants the parents of Jimoh Isiaka the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.

“The ENDSARS protests are a strong indicator of a systemic failure. It is a failure on the part of those who have been constitutionally empowered to protect the citizens. It again calls into question why State Governors are called chief security officers of their state, whereas they do not have the necessary powers to control the police force.

“I will be paying a personal visit to the family of Jimoh Isiaka and I promise to pursue the investigations to a logical conclusion.

“Peaceful protests are a big part of our democratic process. The right to freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed by our Constitution, and I will never support any attempt to rob citizens of their fundamental human rights.

“I call on all residents of Oyo State to please remain calm. I also call on the Police to allow residents of Oyo State protest peacefully without fear of being assaulted.

“Again, I express my deepest sympathies to the family of Jimoh Isiaka, may his soul rest in peace.”

Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, in a statement issued in Ibadan, said that the police did not fire a single shot at any protester.

He said that the protesters were allowed to express their grievances for over one hour.

The statement read in part, “According to the information I gathered from the officers monitoring the protest, the police did not fire a shot at anybody.

“The protesters were allowed for over one hour to carry out their protest and express their grievances until when some of them wanted to forcefully enter the police station with a view to attacking it.

“The police only fired teargas to disperse the protesters; they did not fire shot at anybody as widely reported.”