The Police Command in Oyo State says one person died and 12 suspects were arrested in a violent protest by workers of Sumal Food Company, Ibadan, over palliatives on Monday.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ibadan.

Osifeso said that the protest broke out in the factory located at Oluyole Industrial Estate, Ibadan around 4 p.m. on Monday.

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He said that the workers staged the protest to challenge what they called non-distribution of the palliatives allegedly given by Federal Government to all private companies across the country.

Osifeso said that it was sad that the protest was hijacked by criminal elements who forced their way into the factory, thus destroying vehicles and other property worth millions of naira.

“One person died and 12 suspects were arrested in connection with the violent protest,’’ he said.

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The spokesman, however, said that normalcy had returned to the area where the company is located, following the deployment of police operatives to maintain peace.

He also said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayodele Sonubi, had ordered the transfer of the matter to the homicide unit of Criminal Investigations Department for further investigation.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the protest was premised on false information created and peddled by some workers over disbursement of palliatives to privately-owned companies,’’ he said.

Osifeso said that the command would give further information on the matter as soon investigation was concluded.

The House of Representatives has asked the Minister of Works, David Umahi to immediately revoke the contract for the construction of the flooded East-West Road awarded to Rock Result Nigeria Limited and other contracts and re-award same to a company with expertise and capacity.

This followed a motion on the “need to revoke the contract for the construction of flooded sections of the East-West road connecting major communities in Bayelsa State” moved by Hon. Obok Oforjil during plenary in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Oforjil stated that the East-West Road is one of the important roads in the Federation which has significantly contributed to the country’s economic and social development, it connects major regions facilitating trade, commerce, and cultural exchange, thus improving access to markets, industries, and social services.

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Result Nigeria Limited, but the company has failed to execute the contract, causing traffic disruptions,
loss of lives and fatalities.

“Recall that on 11 April,2024 the current Minister of Works on an inspection tour at East-West Road praised Rock Result Nigeria Limited, but till date nothing has been achieved.

“Worried that East West road has been in a dilapidated state for years particularly at Iheke in Ahoada East Local Government of Rivers State, Aven in Patani and Umeh in Isoko South Local Government Areas of Delta State connecting Bayelsa State to Rivers and Delta States and other parts of the country.

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“Also worried that Federal Government is prioritizing the coastal road over the crucial eastwest road,
which is vital for the country’s economic survival.

The House to this end mandated the Committee on Works to ensure compliance.

There was palpable tension in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, on Tuesday, July 2, after several gunshots were fired at the State Secretariat of the Osun Park Management System (OPMS) over alleged extortion, high-handedness, and death threats by an appointee of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The crisis erupted barely 18 months after Governor Adeleke appointed Nurudeen Wakili, also known as Alowonle, as the chairman of the Osun park managers.

The incident began on Tuesday morning when a group of park managers, led by a man identified as Aroso and former State Secretary of the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Morounkade Akinade, protested against the chairman over issues including extortion and non-remittance of revenue to the government.

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The protesters took over the secretariat, chasing away the executives of the park managers.

However, the executives regrouped and countered the protesters, leading to a gun battle and a fight that resulted in the hacking of the park manager’s chairman.

Speaking to The Nation about the protest, Akinade alleged: “Wakili always extort us. He collected N1.2m from us when Adeleke was conferred as Asiwaju of Ede Land. He very found of collecting money with the name of Adeleke’s family. If anyone challenged him he will threaten such person. So we decided that we don’t want him again. We don’t want him to direct the affairs of this Osun Transport Management System.

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“The government gave us ticket, he refused to remit money to them. We opposed him then he threatened to kill us. We are at the secretariat now and they are threatening us with guns. They said they will kill us.”

However, the chairman of park managers, Wakili denied the allegation while speaking with newmen at hospital as he had sustained injury on his neck and right arm during the invasion to the secretariat.

He said: “I saw that some hoodlums gathered and blocked me on the road, two of them were our former members. They attacked and stabbed me. They shot at my car. They are the enemies of government. They are not pleased with the park management system that government formed. One of them is Arogundade Wasiu, aka Aroso, is one of them.”

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola said that the command is aware of the incident and has drafted operatives to the area affected.

NATION