At least five persons, including two policemen have been confirmed dead in Sagamu, Ogun State, as angry young men and women took to the streets to protest the killing of a footballer named Tiyamiyu Kazeem by operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Tiamiyu Kazeem, alias Kaka, a player with Remo Star Football Club, was killed on Saturday after policemen attached to the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) arrested him on allegations of being a Yahoo Boy.
Tiamiyu, it was gathered was knocked down by oncoming vehicle while being taken to Abeokuta by the police whose vehicle developed fault on the road and was parked for repairs.
The protesters were said to have taken to the streets and later proceeded to the palace of Akarigbo and the Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, demanding justice for the deceased, the protesters condemned the incessant brutality and indiscriminate arrests by law enforcement agents in the town and its environs, moving from one point to the other chanting anti-police slogans. The former Governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbengan Daniel also joined the protesters at the palace in solidarity and also appealed that the protesters remain calm.
The protest, which reportedly started on a peaceful note is said to have claimed the lives of five persons including two policemen, it however turned bloody after policemen deployed to put an end to the situation allegedly opened sporadic fire on protesters and threw teargas canisters on the crowd, this action led to the instant death of three civilians who were struck by stray bullet while the other died on his way to the hospital.
The mob were said to have attacked the policemen, allegedly killing two of them in retaliation while bonfires were set along major streets hindering movement.
Kenneth Ebrimson who is the Police Commissioner (CP) has denied that the policemen opened fire on protesters, maintaining that the police held out against the use of force despite provocation from miscreants who took advantage of the protest to cause further harm.
He stated,
“Not a single bullet was fired by policemen. I am in Sagamu as I speak to yo, we have since addressed the protesters and calmed them down. They dispersed quietly,” he said.
“What happened is that some miscreants tried to take opportunity of the protest to cause trouble in the state, they were the ones who tried to burn down the police station but we dispersed them. We did not fire any shot despite the provocation from them,” he added.
“We know some people were trying to push the police to the wall so that they will say see what has happened. That was why there was strict instruction on the men not to use force, we have taken control of the situation, the responsible protesters were addressed and assured that the team that arrested the footballer was already in detention and undergoing internal disciplinary actions,” he further expressed.
“We did not arrest anyone because as it is, we are applying diplomacy to avoid escalating issues, we have said it before that the policemen that arrested him are not SARS operatives, they were of the Zonal Intervention Squad and have been arrested,” he added.
The Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone II comprising Lagos and Ogun States, Ahmed Iliyasu, has condemned the incident that led to Tiamiyu Kazeem’s death assuring that the issue would be duly investigated.
The AIG warned that officers found wanting in the discharge of their police duties would be sanctioned appropriately, he further expressed his sympathy with the family of the deceased footballer, Remo natives and Ogun State in general. The AIG implored calmness, he said that the police involved were already undergoing orderly room trial.
“I will not tolerate any act of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, indolence and disregards to human rights and the rule of law by officers and men of the two commands under my watch, we assure all citizens of the two states continuous protection of life and property as enshrined in all our extant laws. The Ogun State Police Commissioner has commenced investigation into the incident,” he concluded.
