Residents of the Itaapa community in Atakumosa-East Local Government Area of Osun State on Wednesday stormed the Amotekun command headquarters protesting alleged indiscriminate arrest and detention of leaders of the town.

The protesters bearing placards with inscriptions such as “Embarrassment, Amotekun De-robed our chiefs”, “Osun Amotekun has become a political tool”, Amotekun supporting criminals”, among, urged the Inspector General of Police to look into the situation.

Addressing newsmen at the protest scene, the leader of the protesters, Chief Olusegun Owoeye said the community has been deserted following the indiscriminate arrest and detention of residents by Amotekun operatives.

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It is unfortunate that Amotekun subjected itself to the whims and caprices of criminals terrorising our community over time. It is on record that some criminals already arrested by the police and others on wanted list for terrorising the community have now turn around using the community through PDP leaders to hunt innocent residents of Itaapa.

After the terror acts of the said criminals, including Bode Itaapa in police custody, the community was advised to form a vigilante group by the police to watch over itself.

Those under the said vigilante, having prevented criminals from extorting and harassing residents are now being arrested by the police. Ten community leaders are also in their custody for over five days now.

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“We demand their release and called on the Inspector General of Police to order proper investigation into the present situation in the community”, he said.

Reacting, Osun Amotekun Corps Commandant Adekunle Omoyele, said those arrested by Amotekun were being investigated for criminal activities, adding that the corps has laid down procedure for arrest and investigation which it followed to the letter in the case at hand.

We arrested suspects with pump action riple, who claimed to be members of vigilante in the State. The people they mentioned during investigation were also arrested and being investigated. There is no need to drag politics into a pure criminal issues. We will conduct thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that Justice is dispensed in the case”, he said.
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A yet-to-be-identified man has reportedly fallen from one of the top floors of the 26-storey Cocoa House building in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident, which threw the entire business community into panic, occurred in the early hours of Monday.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky.

“It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.

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“I had my phone with me but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked.”

Another eyewitness said, “The victim first hit a roof beside the security post of the building before landing on the ground. It was a terrifying sight.”

As of press time, the circumstances behind the unfortunate incident were still sketchy as the investigation continues.

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Meanwhile, a statement released by Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing Cocoa House, on Tuesday, in Ibadan, the state capital, confirmed the incident.

The Head of Branding and Communication of the company, Victor Ayetoro, who authorised the statement, said, “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.

“The company expressed deep concerns over the development and assured the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall,” he added.

The family of a 12-year-old girl, Favour Oluwaseyi, who was allegedly kidnapped in August 2024, has called on the Rivers State Police Command to ensure the safe and unconditional release of their daughter.

Favour was abducted on August 7, 2024, from her parents’ residence in Elelenwo, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

They warned that failure to meet their demands within 14 days and bring all those behind the abduction to book, they will occupy the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The Chairman, Coalition of Rivers State CSOs, Enefa Georgewill, said this during an interview with journalists after a peaceful protest at the police command headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

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During the protest, the family of Favour and her friends displayed placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Justice for Favour,’ ‘Oh thou God, arise in your anger and favour ‘Favour before great men to fight for Favour’s freedom from her abductors,’ among others.

Georgewill stated, “We are equally saying that if the police, who have failed to address these children here to celebrate Children’s Day with them, fail to provide Favour in two weeks’ time, we will come back here in our numbers and make sure we occupy the police headquarters.”

Georgewill added that the new Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations had assured them that the case would be looked into urgently.

He continued, “The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, is new on the job. We want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

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“But so far, they’re just making promises. And these are some of the same promises they’ve been making for the past nine months.”

Speaking, the father of the missing girl, Mr. Ogunsinasi Oluwaseyi, expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the case by the police.

Oluwaseyi stated, “It has been a very saddening and painful disappointment of the highest level from the Nigerian Police.

“We have gathered here before the Police Headquarters in Rivers State Command and are demanding justice for Favour, demanding her unconditional release, and that everyone culpable in this act should be brought to book.

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“We have gone inside. The DC Operations has called us inside and assured us that in two weeks’ time, everyone found to be related to this matter will be called to order.”

The distraught father added, “We will come here, we will have a meeting, and at the end of the day, he has assured us by his word that Favour Oluwatofunmi Oluwaseyi, my own biological daughter, will be returned home alive.

“We want her alive. I have said that we will not relent until Favour is back.”

The PUNCH reports that on arrival at the state police headquarters, the newly deployed Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations took them into his office for a brief meeting and assured them of immediate action.