Shooting Of Journalist: Osun CSO Calls For Removal Of CP

The Osun Civil Societies Coalition has called for the removal of the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Wale Olokode.

According to the OCSC, Olokode has demonstrated incompetence in the management of security of lives and property of the people of the state, with total disregard to the fundamental human rights of the people. 

The Chairman of the OCSC, Waheed Lawal, in a press statement issued on Tuesday, accused Olokode of inability to manage policemen under him, saying the police in Osun have not learnt from the #EndSARS protest. 

Lawal said police brutality, harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens of Osun State by the police have continued unabated.

"After the last #EndSARS protest across Nigeria in which Osun State was actively involved, police brutality, intimidation, harassment of innocent citizens and extrajudicial killing have continued unabated in Osun. 

"As of today, we have a record of about five persons killed extra-judicially by the police under the leadership of CP Wale Olokode. 

"Today, the men of the Nigeria Police Force in Osun State are at it again, as they shot a journalist, Mr. Toba Adedeji, a correspondent of The Nation Newspaper, alongside a primary school pupil whose name is yet to be known, in Osogbo this afternoon.

"The two innocent people were shot at a rally held by some people who were protesting the killing of a young man, Abiola Afolabi by the police.

"Abiola Afolabi was shot dead by the police on April 4, 2022. He was buried today. 

"As if that is not enough, the police went ahead to arrest another journalist, Fatai Akanji, for performing his lawful duty. 

"We condemn the action of the police and the lackadaisical attitude of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wale Olokode, who appeared helpless on the misconduct of his men. 

 "The Commissioner of police and his men have demonstrated enough total disregard to the fundamental human rights of the people of the state. 

"We call on the Inspector of Police to redeploy Olokode from Osun. He is a poor manager of policemen and security system of Osun. 

"However, if after 24 hours the police do not meet our demand, we shall mobilise the public and commence actions against the Nigerian police," he said.