Society Gists

The Lagos State Government has withdrawn a murder case against a Yoruba Nation protester, Tajudeen Bakare, popularly referred to as Ogboni Chief.

Recall that while 47 Yoruba Nation protesters arrested by the police during a rally in Ojota on July 1 were released, one of them, Tajudeen Bakare, was detained and charged with the murder of a sachet water seller, Jumoke Oyeleke.

The sachet water seller reportedly died from a stray bullet during the Yoruba self-determination protest held on July 3 in Ojota, Lagos.

The 48 protesters who were arrested on the same day were earlier charged before a Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu.

A statement signed by the Communications Manager, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Maxwell Adeleye, on Wednesday, said Oba Ogoni has also been released.

“Lagos State Government withdraw murder charges against detained Yoruba Nation Protester, Tajudeen Bakare (Oba Ogboni). He has been released from custody,” the brief statement read.

Maxwell told The PUNCH on the telephone that “The magistrate court could not hear the case and it was referred the High Court. The Court refers Bakare’s case to the Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) for further advice and because there was no evidence, the case was withdrawn by the state government.

“He was also released because of the bail already granted to the 48 protesters by Magistrate Court.”

Earlier, Ifeoluwa, the mother of Jumoke Oyeleke had claimed that police killed her daughter and demanded justice.

During a visit to her parent’s house, the mother told PUNCH Metro said the police threatened to shoot her when she demanded her daughter’s corpse.

She narrated, “I was not at home when the incident happened. I went to work in Ikeja and was called to start coming home. When I got home, I was told that the bullets shot by the police had killed my daughter.

“We immediately went to Area H Police Command in Ogudu and they started threatening us that if we stayed longer at their entrance, they would shoot us. It was when they saw that we would not retreat that they invited my brothers inside. I have not seen her corpse since yesterday. The police at Area H said it’s not in their custody, that we should go to other stations to check.

“I want the police to release the corpse for burial because we don’t know where they dropped her. The police should speak the truth because she was killed by a bullet. The police lied that it was an abandoned corpse; we both left home around 7.30 am yesterday to our different destinations.

“Jumoke is my first child and she was a very healthy and good child; a very hard-working girl that won’t complain if you asked her to do anything. She said she wanted to save money from the job she was doing so she could own her shop and become a better person in life, but that dream has been cut short now.

“I want the state government to fight for me and render whatever help they can to me. It has not been easy since yesterday; it has affected me in every way because she’s the one helping to cater for her siblings.”