CITIZENS COMPASS —A group of youths under the agies of Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), has called on the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Command, to withdraw its charges at the Magistrates Court, against some detained protesters in Ogun State.
The youths said the detainees were arrested in September 2023 while protesting the death of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba popularly known as Mohbad in the Ijebu-Ode area of the State.
YRC National Coordinator, Michael Adaramoye and National Secretary, Francis Nwapa, made the demand in a statement signed on Monday, January 29, 2024.
“The Nigeria Police in Ogun State has continued its sham trial of Funke Obikoya and others who participated in last year’s peaceful #JusticeForMohbad Walk in Ijebu-Ode. The trial came up on Friday 16th January 2024 at the magistrate court, Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“It will be recalled that last year, Funke Obikoya and over 20 youths who gathered in Ijebu-Ode to hold a peaceful walk to demand justice for the late MohBad who died under suspicious circumstances on 12th of September 2023, were rounded up by the Nigeria Police from Igbeba Police Command, even before the walk commenced. They were thereafter detained in the Police station, arraigned in court, and remanded in prison. These youths were charged with “breach of public peace and cultism” by the Nigeria Police, a charge which they could not substantiate in court and thereby requested amendment at the next hearing.
“The Nigeria Police went ahead to transfer the matter from the Magistrate Court Igbeba Ijebu-Ode to Abeokuta just to frustrate these young Nigerians with attending incessant court adjournments in Abeokuta knowing fully well they have no case against them.
The matter was supposed to have commenced trial on October 31st, 2023, but has suffered adjournment twice now. It was also adjourned again to the 16th of February 2024.
“We in the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) condemn this arbitrariness of the Nigeria Police and demand the withdrawal of all charges against Funke Obikoya and others as well as payment of compensation for wrongful accusation and trial.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to direct his men in Ogun State command to focus resources of the force towards combating crime and gathering intelligence rather than this display of abuse of power on innocent youths.
Above all, we demand respect of democratic rights of the working people and youths to freedom of expression and association.”
