Lagos State Police Command charges 48 Yoruba Nation protesters with death of 14 year old

LAGOS State Police Command has charged 48 Yoruba Nation protesters with unlawful protest and the killing of a woman before a Yaba chief magistrate’s court as a result of the demonstration held at Ojota on July 3.

On the day in question, Yoruba Nation demonstrators turned out ion their thousands to protest the murderous activities of Fulani cattle herdsmen and demand the creation of an Oduduwa Republic. During the course of the protest, a 14-year old girl identified as Jumoke Oyeleke was killed by a stray bullet.

Protesters have claimed she was short by the police by the authorities maintain that it was a bullet fired by the protesters that killed Jumoke. Yesterday, the police charged 48 people, including two women, with unlawful protest and the killing, which the charge sheet said took place at 10 am on July 3 in the Ojota area of Lagos.

All the accused are jointly facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and breach of peace, to which they pleaded not guilty. One of the defendants, Tajudeen Bakare, is facing two extra counts of murder and unlawful possession of arms. 

Police prosecutor Adejoke Adebesin, told the court that during the protest, Mr Bakare, shot Miss Oyeleke, with a Berretta pistol which was recovered from his possession. He further stated that the defendant drove a Jeep with registration No. LSR 322 FK and killed the deceased from the window of the car. 

In addition, the prosecutor said that the defendants gathered for a protest that was not permitted to hold and began to disturb the peace. Chief magistrate Mrs Adeola Adedayo admitted the 47 defendants to N300, 000 bail each with two sureties in like sum and remanded Mr Bakare, who is facing a murder charge, to a correctional centre while awaiting legal advice from Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution. 

She directed that both sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State government. Mrs Adedayo added that one of the sureties must be either a cultural, religious, or traditional leader in the court’s jurisdiction and both sureties must submit copies of their National Identification Number to the court before adjourning the case until August 16.