By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Oyo State Police Command has debunked the claim that a policeman shot a member of the National Youth Service Corps in Ibadan.
Recall that protesting corps members had claimed that a policeman shot one of their colleague in the head and chest at close range in New Garage area of Ibadan, on Thursday.
But the Oyo State Police Command spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, in a statement on Friday, said that no single bullet was fired by the police at the scene of the alleged shooting.
He said a corps member who drove a Toyota Camry recklessly knocked down a policeman, Bright Agbadahun, while he was stopped by a team of policemen on stop and search duty.
According to Osifeso, the corps member refused to stop and in his bid to escape, he veered off his lane to face oncoming vehicles where he ran into a tricycle before the police caught up with him.
“The Oyo State Police Command wishes to dispel rumors making the rounds about a shooting incident involving a police officer and a National Youth Service Corps member as mischievous and a fictitious imagination of mischief agents.
“Preliminary investigations/independent witness accounts revealed that a reckless driving corps member in the company of his colleagues while returning from their Community Development Service (CDS) in a white tinted Toyota Camry with Reg No ABY 237 JR was flagged down by operatives on legitimate stop and search duties along the Black Horse Area, New Garage, Off Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road.
“However, he drove directly towards the direction of the officers, thereby knocking down, one Sgt Agbadahun Bright.
“Resolute in his actions and in a view to escape, he drove off without batting an eyelid and veered off his lane towards the direction of other oncoming vehicles till he ran into a tricycle from where the policemen caught up in him,” the statement said.
On sighting his returning colleagues from their various Community Development Service Groups, Osifeso said the corps member immediately raised a false alarm about being shot at by the police officers, thus inciting the riotous corps members to completely cut off the flow of traffic by blocking the road and other adjoining routes before proceeding to attack any officer in sight.
“Assertively no shot was fired at the scene by any officer(s) before or after the incident at the corps member or his vehicle rather the riotous corps members smashed the side mirrors of the officers’ Kia operational vehicle, broke its windscreen, and deflated all its tyres.
“The riotous corps members then pounced on Sgt Agbadahun Bright and stabbed his right cheek with a sharp object. The officer was immediately rescued by swift police reinforcement and is presently receiving medical attention.
“The Commissioner of Police however wishes to state assertively, that while being civil and professional in the discharge of their duties as expected, officers and men of the command would no longer condone acts of hostilities such as these from members of the public,” the statement added.
No Corps member was shot-NYSC
Meanwhile, the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Oyo State has also said no corps member was shot.
The Public Relations Officer of the NYSC in the state, Mrs Christy Olatoye, stated this in a separate statement, on Friday.
“The attention of the management of NYSC has been drawn to the news making rounds in the social media that a corps member was shot dead by policemen at Ibadan while returning with his car from the weekly Community Development Service within the Ibadan metropolis
“To put the records straight, no corps member was shot in the head or chest and no life was lost during the encounter between some corps members and policemen on duty.
“As a matter of fact, the police authorities in Oyo state quickly intervened and the situation was immediately brought under control, and normalcy returned as expected.
“However, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State has authorised an investigation into the matter to ensure that those who erred are reprimanded accordingly,” Olatoye said.
