CSO Calls For Osun Police Commissioner’s Removal

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

Olokode, according to the OCSC, has demonstrated incompetence in the management of security of lives and property in the State.

This is coming after the police shot The Nation Newspaper correspondent, Toba Adedeji in Osogbo during a protest.

After the shooting, the police operatives attached to Dugbe Station began clampdown by arresting another journalist with Osun Defender Newspaper, Fatai Akanji the same day.

Adedeji has been stabilised and Akanji has also been released after intervention from other journalists.

Osun Civil Societies Coalition gave 24 hours ultimatum for the redeployment of Olokode, saying “if after 24hours the police do not meet our demand, we shall mobilize the public and commence actions against the Nigeria police.”

The Civil Societies Coalition further accused the police boss of total disregard to the fundamental human rights of the people.

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

He alleged that police brutality, harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens of Osun State have continued unabated.

He said: “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.

“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.

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

“The Commissioner of Police and his men have demonstrated 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 the policemen and security system of Osun. The Police have remained reckless under Olokode’s watch.”

The police spokesperson, Opalola, did not respond to calls by our reporter inquiring about the incident as of the time of filing this report.

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