Youths Protest Police Brutality in Ajegunle

Youths Protest Police Brutality in Ajegunle
•10 suspects arrested, say Police

The relatively busy nature of Ajegunle, a surburb of Lagos State, was yesterday disrupted as some angry youths numbering about 50 staged a protest, ostensibly to register their displeasure over what they described as the “unbecoming and overbearing tendencies” of policemen attached to Ajegunle Police Station.

THISDAY learnt yesterday, that about three persons may have allegedly been killed, in the wake of the protest, which brought physical and vehicular movement to a halt.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, yesterday confirmed that there was indeed an attempt to breach public peace in Ajegunle.
He said men of the command rose up to the challenge of maintaining law and order in the area.

However, THISDAY gathered that the command, apparently sensing a possible breakdown of law and order, had drafted a detachment of mobile policemen to help ensure law and order, in the protest that lasted for about four hours.
Major streets visited yesterday afternoon were deserted over fears of possible rescalation of the crisis while many business offices within the neighbourhood and its environ, were under lock and key, with heavily armed mobile policemen stationed at strategic entry points into Mba, Baale and Layinka streets.

Some of the houses torched by the irate youths yesterday included that of the Baba Layinka on Layinka Street and a house belonging to one Mr. Lucky Onaemor, who is said to be a friend of the police, and who as at the time of filling this report, was taking refuge at the Ajegunle Police Station.

The protesters THISDAY gathered, were said to have been led by one Dagar Tola, who has gone underground. The protest initially began peacefully but became violent following the alleged killing of a 23-year-old boy by policemen said to be from Ajegunle Police Station a development, which the protesting youths said, needed to be looked into by the police high command.
Prior to yesterday’s protest, THISDAY learnt that there had been a “warm-up” protest on April 1 and 2 but was said to have been renewed yesterday for maximum effect.

The youths in their protest leaflets produced by Ajeromi-Ifelodun Community Movement (AICOM), which was circulated had demanded among other things that the “police must stop all ruthless raiding of residents and extortion; illegal detention and false imprisonment; police must stop the victimisation and extortion of computer game shops; demand for community and the policing under the control of residents.”

Speaking to THISDAY on the incident yesterday, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed that there was indeed an attempt to breach public peace in Ajegunle.

He said despite the attempt, policemen were drafted to the area, under the supervision of the Area Commander (Area B) to ensure that public peace was not threatened.

“There was a challenge bothering on public order at Ajegunle today. But I am glad to inform you that men and officer of the command rose to the challenge as there were strong presence of a detachment of policemen to the area.
The Area Commander of Area B was personally on ground supervising the men whole area and as I talk to you now, 10 suspected hoodlums have been arrested,” he said.



Matchets, arms and two locally-made weapons were recovered from them and the Commissioner of Police (CP) has ordered that they be transferred to the command’s headquarters for detailed investigations.”
Asked if he was aware that three persons were alleged to have been killed, Mba said: “I have been on with my people over there and I don’t have any report on any death as I speak with you now.”
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