NOT less than two #ENDSARS protesters were reportedly killed in Osogbo, Osun State capital after security operatives in the convoy of Gboyega Oyetola, the Governor of the state allegedly shot at them.
According to videos and pictures sighted by The ICIR, an #ENDSARS protester was seen lying on the floor while the governor’s convoy speedily left the protest scene on Saturday.
Other protesters speaking in the video were heard alleging that the victim was shot by a police officer after the angry youths besieged the Governor’s convoy for failing to address them.
“Governor convoy just killed someone now at Oke-Ayepe, they just gave him a straight bullet,” someone was heard saying in the video showing a lifeless body on the floor without a shirt but a yellow coloured track trouser.
VIDEO: One of the security aides to Gboyega Oyetola, Osun State governor shot at #ENDSAR protesters and killed a youth.#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality #EmdSWAT pic.twitter.com/ftf09rvUSI
— The ICIR (@TheICIR) October 17, 2020
The protesting youths it was gathered were enraged by the failure of the governor to stop to address them during the protest.
The #ENDSARS protesters, reportedly pelted his convoy with stones and sachet of water while the convoy drove away.
Ismail Omipidan, Cheif Press Secretary to Governor Oyetola denied that the victims were shot by security operatives on the Governor’s convoy.
According to him, they fell off a motorcycle during the protest.
Omipidan said the governor had addressed the protestants at about 2 pm while he spent more than an hour and a half before the protest turned violent.
According to him, he had spoken with the ‘face of the protest’ in the state, one Ayo Ologun who had assured him of the governor’s safety.
“Ayo Ologun had assured me of my principal’s safety before the protest turned violent and we tried to manoeuvre,” Omipidan said.
He added that the protest was hijacked by Olawale Bakare, an associate of Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.
“The two people that feel from the bike were on hard drugs, the governor had promised to pay their hospital bills while he was making his speech, even when they stopped our vehicle, we just tried to manoeuvre because we didn’t want any casualty,” Omipidan added.
In defence of the governor, Ajibola Basiru, the Senator representing Osun Central said the incident was an attack on the governor’s convoy adding that it was beyond the #ENDSARS protest.
“I condemn the dastardly attack on the Governor of Osun, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola as he was addressing the #EndSARS protest in Osogbo,” Bashiru said.
“The kind of weapons used and the ease of access to the weapons point to what is beyond #EndSARS protests.”
“The cowardly act must be investigated thoroughly and culprits brought to book. I am happy that Mr. Governor is in high spirit and fine when I spoke to him a moment ago on his telephone line.”
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94