The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Femi Haruna, has ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the Jobele Division in Afijio Local Government Area following a protest that erupted in the community on Tuesday.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued in Ibadan by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade.
According to the statement, disciplinary measures have already been initiated against officers involved in the incident.
“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, 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 statement said.
The police added that the investigation had commenced in accordance with established rules and regulations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure appropriate disciplinary action if necessary.
Earlier on Tuesday, scores of protesters reportedly blocked the Jobele end of the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway in Afijio Local Government Area, disrupting both human and vehicular movement.
The protest was triggered by rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities in the area.
Residents alleged that suspected kidnappers had invaded one of the communities on Monday in an attempt to abduct a woman. Although the victim escaped by scaling a fence, she reportedly sustained a deep machete cut on one of her hands during the attack.
“This was not the first time such an incident has happened in the area. We are not going to leave the road until our safety is guaranteed by the relevant security agencies,” one of the protesters said.
A community leader from Ward 8, Dolapo Awotunde, also raised concerns over the growing insecurity in the area.
According to him, the local government has recorded at least seven kidnapping-related incidents in recent times.
Awotunde revealed that residents had recently apprehended a suspicious individual allegedly found with a gun, cutlass and other dangerous weapons and handed him over to police at the Jobele Police Station.
However, the community became outraged after discovering that the suspect had allegedly been released without explanation.
“This development has caused serious outrage among residents. Community members, including students, blocked the Old Oyo–Ibadan Road and the Ibadan–Oyo–Ogbomoso highway demanding to know why the suspect was released and who ordered the release,” Awotunde said.
He called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Oyo State Government to urgently investigate the matter and address the rising insecurity in Afijio Local Government Area.
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