The burning of the Idi Ogungun Police Station and the destruction of Agodi II Police Station at the Agodi area of Ibadan by some persons following the Tuesday clash between warders at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Agodi in Ibadan and commercial motorcyclists in the area clearly shows the dangers of mob actions.
The clash was said to have been caused by the alleged refusal of an okada rider (commercial motorcyclist), identified simply as Alfa to give N50 to a warder, who had demanded it.
The crisis was triggered by a rumour that Alfa was dragged inside the prison premises, shot in the face and killed. Another unconfirmed report claimed the okada rider was dragged inside the prison premises and in the process, a tear gas canister fell from the hand of the warder, which went off and injured the rider in the face. Though this version of the story said the okada rider did not die.
But efforts made by our correspondent to get the identity of the victim were unsuccessful. Over 20 okada riders at Bus Stop area, the scene of the clash, said they were not there when the incident happened and did not know the name of the real name of the victim, said to be popularly known as Alfa, or the hospital he was taken.
Consequently, angry colleagues of the said victim made bonfires on the road, making the atmosphere around Agodi Gate, Bus Stop and Ali Iwo areas tense. Although nobody said the victim was killed or injured by a policeman, it did not stop the mob from setting fire to Idi Ogungun Police Station, which was said to have been built in 1929.
Another police station close to a taxi park (known as Agodi Police Station II) was also destroyed by hoodlums protesting the alleged killing of Alfa.
To prevent the situation from degenerating further, security agents, including policemen and ‘Operation Burst’, which is a joint security team comprising soldiers and policemen, were deployed in the area to prevent any attack on the prison which could lead to a jailbreak. However, the police stations were attacked by the angry youths, which compounded the woes of the police who were still trying to shake off the devastating effects of violent attacks against them and their facilities during the #EndSARS protests in October. The attacks led to the death of some policemen in the country, including Oyo State.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, told our correspondent that no policeman fired a shot in the area. He said they were deployed there after the clash between the warders and the okada riders to secure the prison facility. He also expressed shock that the police became the target of the angry youths, insisting that the police had nothing to do with the clash between commercial motorcyclists and NCS officials.
Some traders at Agodi area where the incident happened corroborated the PPRO’s claims, describing the attack on the police stations as transferred aggression. The traders also said NCS officials (warders) had made it customary to extort money from commercial motorcyclists in the area, which is the base of the biggest motor spare parts market in Ibadan. So, the busy narrow road where the prison is located regularly used by spare part dealers, other traders and their customers to take goods in and out of the market.
A spare part dealer, who identified himself as Saheed, said, “We were not part of what happened on Tuesday but we heard that some warders asked an okada rider to give them N50 and he refused. I heard that caused the crisis. I was told that the okada rider that was harassed was considered to be rude for refusing to give them the bribe. He was said to have been dragged inside the prison and shot in the face.
“I did not witness it but I know that some warders are in the habit of extorting money from people around here. I have been a victim on many occasions. They collect money from traders bringing goods into the market and even from customers who come here to buy spare parts for their vehicles. On many occasions, some of them have asked me for money to take beer. It’s that bad. They pick on people randomly and ask for money.”
A former Chairman of the Ibadan Motor Spare Part Dealers Association (Car Division), Najeeemdeen Adeosun, recalled that while in office as the leader of the association, he had to pay a visit to the prison officials to urge them to stop extorting money from members of the group.
Adeosun said, “I told them that I did not want them to be extorting money from members of the association. I also went to the police and told them the same thing. We assured them that we would not engage in crime and that if they wanted to carry out any genuine investigation, they were free to come to us and we would assist them.
“We want to plead with the Federal Government to relocate the prison to the new facility built for it on the outskirts of Ibadan. This place was built many years ago and at that time, it was on the outskirts of the city. But with the development the city has experienced over the years, it is not in the middle of the city.
“We have friends among them and they also have friends among us but there is no way there won’t be occasional misunderstandings if we remain so close to each other.
“Also, the government needs to have only people who are well trained in the various security forces and agencies. They should understand the job they are recruited to do. I don’t think a warder should have any business with motor spare part sellers or okada riders in any way. So, abuse of power is responsible for this crisis.”
Similarly, the current chairman of the association, Surajudeen Balogun, said warders should be warned by the government not to make life difficult for traders in the area.
“Do you think anybody can come from outside to attack this place (prison)? That cannot happen; we are here to do business and make sure nothing happens to the prison. So they should also not make life difficult for us,” he said.
Our correspondent gathered that the NCS has completed the construction of a new prison facility at the Olomi area of Ibadan and the prison at Agodi has not been relocated because the government officials expected to inaugurate the new facility have not had time yet to do that.
The Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Zone F, Ibadan, Mr Kasali Yusuf, was reported to have said in June 2019 that the new prison was ready for inauguration.
The Public Relations Officer of the NCS in Oyo State, Mr Lanre Anjonrin, said nobody was shot by any warder in the state but admitted that someone was injured by a tear gas canister.
Anjonrin said, “Nobody was killed. But when things happen like that, people will start spreading all kinds of rumours. Somebody said six people died and that the intestines of one of the victims were exposed. I can tell you that nobody was killed and nobody was shot in the face.
“Okada riders have made the in front of the prison their bus stop where they pick up passengers. Their activities make it very difficult for vehicles to come or leave the facility. You will agree with me that such is not good for the security of a sensitive facility like ours. We have told them repeatedly to leave the place and move down to the Gate area but they have refused to do that.
“Also on Tuesday, they refused to obey that instruction and that was how the crisis started. Nigerian Correctional Service men do not work on the road; their job is to secure the facility. So, it is strange to hear that they go out of the facility to extort money from people on the road. But if anyone is found to be involved in any act of extortion, I want to promise you that the administration of the president comptroller general will make sure such a person is dealt with, according to the law.
“We have another facility in the Olomi area of Ibadan. Right now, we have staff members there but inmates have yet to be moved to the place. It is a maximum security custodian centre and it’s much bigger than Agodi Custodial Centre. When it becomes fully operational, it is going to ease the pressure on this facility.”
A statement later released by the correctional centre said, “The Oyo State Joint Task Force and other security operatives in the State suppressed an emerging protest by okada riders who have turned the entrance of Agodi Custodial Centre to a bus stop.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service had earlier in the day informed the okada riders to desist from picking passengers at the junction leading to the facility due to the sensitivity of the area, asking them to move further down the road and allow free movement of vehicles.
“This peaceful initiative was however resisted and they started attacking our men by throwing stones and other dangerous objects. In the process, some of our staff members were wounded and the armed squad was forced to disperse them, using tear gas to forestall any attempt to further breach the security of the Agodi facility.
“The comptroller of corrections invited other security agencies to beef up security within and around the custodial centre to avoid any security breach and normalcy has been restored.”
However, no mention was made of the said okada rider whom the PRO had confirmed was injured by a tear gas canister.
(Source: Punch)
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