Tension erupted in Ifonyintedo, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, after youths reportedly set fire to two police stations following the alleged killing of a father of a newborn, Owolabi Oniyiku, at a police checkpoint in the community.
Oniyiku, a Lagos-based resident, was said to have returned to the area with some friends for the Oro festival when he was allegedly shot dead by policemen at Akinde Junction on Wednesday.
A community leader, who spoke with our correspondent on Thursday on condition of anonymity, described the location where the incident occurred as a makeshift police checkpoint rather than an officially established station.
The source alleged that the checkpoint had become a source of complaints among residents and motorists over alleged harassment and extortion.
He said tensions had heightened a day before the killing following an operation in which several commercial motorcyclists were reportedly arrested by policemen stationed at the checkpoint.
He said, “There is a police checkpoint, a makeshift shed there. It is not an official checkpoint.
The police officers there usually harass people a lot. Every bike that passes through that area, they harass it.
“They started harassing all the commercial motorcyclists passing by and taking them away. They reportedly arrested about 15 motorcyclists.”
According to the community leader, Oniyiku had taken some of his friends who were returning to Lagos to Ilashe and was allegedly confronted by the policemen while making his way back.
He said an argument reportedly ensued before the deceased was shot.
“This guy who was killed was taking his friends to Ilashe. Maybe on his way back, they accosted him. Maybe they wanted to collect his bike from him; I don’t know what led to the argument, and the guy was killed straight away.
“He was not armed; he had nothing on him, and he was killed on the spot,” he alleged.
The source said the incident was particularly distressing because Oniyiku’s wife had reportedly given birth to their child just two days before his death.
Following the alleged shooting, some youths were said to have carried Oniyiku’s remains to a police station, after which the situation reportedly degenerated.
The youths subsequently allegedly attacked and burnt two police facilities in the community.
One of the stations was said to be a recently completed community police facility, while the other was an older and dilapidated station that had continued to serve the area.
Meanwhile, the Ipokia Local Government Youth Forum has demanded an immediate and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Oniyiku’s death.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Adeyemi Olusegun, on Thursday, the group alleged that the deceased was killed at an unauthorised police checkpoint.
Describing the incident as “deeply disturbing,” the forum called for all officers who were present at the checkpoint to be identified and investigated.
The group demanded disciplinary and criminal proceedings against any police officer found culpable, as well as communication between the police authorities and the deceased’s family.
The youth body also called for the immediate removal of the alleged illegal checkpoint and other unauthorised checkpoints along the Ifonyintedo Road.
“We demand disbandment of the illegal, unauthorised checkpoint where the incident happened and other illegal checkpoints along Ifonyintedo Road and provide empirical mandate, deployment order, and personnel attached to the checkpoint and rules governing their operations,” the statement read.
The forum further alleged that residents had suffered harassment, extortion and other abuses by some police personnel operating in the area.
It claimed that Oniyiku’s death was the third alleged police-related killing of a youth in the area within three years, citing an earlier incident involving a youth identified as Adeleye Eniola.
The group said it had resolved to protest at police formations in Ipokia Local Government to demand an end to what it described as the continued killing of youths in the area.
It, however, appealed for calm, urging residents and community leaders to pursue justice through lawful means.
“We call on all our members, the people of Ifonyintedo, community leaders and other stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding while demanding justice through legitimate and constitutional channels,” the statement added.
The forum also appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police to intervene, insisting that an impartial investigation was necessary to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and restore public confidence.
“The death of Mr Owolabi Oniyiku must not become another unresolved case as we deserve answers; likewise, his family deserves justice, and the community deserves accountability,” Olusegun stated.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, were unsuccessful as he had not responded to calls and messages sent to his telephone as of Thursday.
However, a senior security officer in the area, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, confirmed that the incident occurred.
“The incident happened, but I cannot give further details on it at the moment,” the officer said.