Mr Viral
The protests held in many states across Nigeria to demand the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit notorious for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.
The Take It Back Movement has lamented that Governor Seyi Makinde and Oyo State #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry have failed to bring closure to the killing of 16-year-old Qudus Agbolade and 21 others in October 2020.
They were killed during #EndSARS protests four years ago.
The protests held in many states across Nigeria to demand the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit notorious for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.
Solomon Emiola, Oyo State TIB Coordinator, in a statement on Sunday, said the police personnel accused of killing protesters and other citizens have not faced trial.
It noted that around 11 am on October 20, 2020, several people were killed at Ojoo roundabout during the protest in Ibadan.
Emiola recalled that the day was Ojoo Market Day.
He said, “Recall that there had been a nationwide protest calling for the disbandment of a unit in police formation called Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) which had changed its name to Special Youth Killers Squad, the protest had been going on for days; until on Tuesday, 20th October, 2020, when Ojoo Police Division headed by CSP Adeola Odetunde and his officers spearheaded the shooting that led to disruption of peaceful protest that had been on for weeks.
“Years after inauguration of #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Seyi Makinde and his appointed panel have failed to answer the following questions: Who killed Qudus Agbolade and 21 others? Was there massacre at Ojoo roundabout? How many police officers have been charged before the court of law of crime against humanity? How many victims and deceased have been compensated?”
The statement noted that today, Sunday, October 20, 2024 makes it four that there has been no justice for the victims of the protest.
“Qudus Agbolade was 16 years old, first born of his father. He attended Mount Olivet Grammar School, Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan, where he graduated from Junior Secondary School III to Senior Secondary School I, while he was waiting for JSS III results, he became a victim of Ojoo massacre,” the statement said.
It lamented that the perpetrators have yet to be brought to justice, saying that “instead of them being prosecuted to face the wrath of law, they were promoted”.
It noted that Agbolade’s family went to #EndSARS Panel of Inquiry to seek justice in 2021, but since the panel concluded its sitting, “Governor Makinde has failed to make the panel reports and recommendations public till date”.
Emiola urged “every lover of justice to join hands with the family of Qudus Agbolade in getting justice for their deceased son”.
He also encouraged the families of other victims of “#EndSARS Ojoo Massacre to speak out and fight till justice is served”.
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