This is a report of the thirtieth public hearing of the Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality, Violation of Rights of Citizens and Unlawful Killings in Oyo State.
Venue: The Mediation Centre, Ministry of Justice Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021.
Today’s sitting commenced at about 9:44am, shortly after the arrival of the panelists.
Petition for Hearing at the Oyo State Judicial Panel
1. Case No. OYJPPB/027
Odoye Kanike Community v Unknown Hoodlums. The petitioners were present and were represented by Lekan Idowu (Esq.). The petitioners were sworn on the Bible and the Quran, based on their religion.
This petition was last heard on the 30th of March, 2021 and was adjourned to enable the petitioners who were absent at the last hearing, appear before the Oyo State Judicial Panel.
The petitioners who appeared before the Oyo State Judicial Panel today include: Oluwatofunmi Morenikeji (Pharmacist), Oladejo Oladele (Farmer), Okunola Adesokan Quadri (Barber), Amao Mutiu Adewale (Landlord whose house was razed down), Raheem Olaide (Aluminum Expert), Aminat Sangodoyin (Hair Stylist), Ganiyu Yusuf Ketenfe (Clergy), and Sarumi Suliyat (Fashion Designer).
The petitioners had filed the petition against unknown hoodlums because some of their properties and valuables were burnt while some others were carted away by unknown hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest, which took place last year.
The petitioners told the Oyo State Judicial Panel that they would adopt the content of their submitted petitions and the application was granted by the panel. With this, the petitioner’s counsel, Lekan Idowu (Esq.) tendered all the relevant documents before the panel and they were admitted and marked as exhibits.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel members took turn to cross examine the petitioners based on the content of their petitions.
The petitioners therefore prayed the government to grant their requests as contained in the petition.
Immediately after this, the Oyo State Judicial Panel members drove to Odoye Kanike Community to inspect the vandalised and looted properties.
One of the victims, Mrs Mercy Solola Ajayeoba said that the #EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums who saw it as an opportunity to steal and destroy. She said that the hoodlums had broken into her shop to vandalise her wares. She said due to this, she was at the shop the next day to replace the padlock when the hoodlums suddenly showed up at about 10am to finish with what they had started. She said she was powerless and had to run away as the hoodlums had showed up with broken bottles from her store and cutlasses. She said that about 53 residents in Odoye Konike Community were affected by the incident. She therefore prayed for the government’s financial assistance because she is a retiree.
However, it was discovered during the inspection that some of the petitioners had lied about what they lost during the protest while some others had told the truth.
The Oyo State Judicial Panel therefore promised to reach out to the petitioners at the end of the day, when the recommendations would have been made to the government.
With this, today’s hearing was brought to a close at about 4:11pm.