The Oyo Police Command has confirmed the death of one person and the arrest of twelve suspected hoodlums following a protest on Monday at Sumal Foods factories in the Oluyole area of Ibadan.
Command spokesperson Adewale Osifeso made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday. He explained that the protest, initially sparked by false information, was hijacked by suspected hoodlums, leading to the arrests.
Osifeso clarified that the protest began due to misleading information suggesting that the company was withholding palliatives rumored to have been distributed to employees of all privately-owned firms. He stated, “The Oyo State Police Command wishes to clarify the events surrounding the violent protests at a Sumal Foods factory in Oluyole, Ibadan, on Monday around 1600 hours. Preliminary investigations indicate that the protest was based on false information circulated by some workers regarding the distribution of palliatives to all private companies. They believed they were being denied these welfare packages.”
Unfortunately, criminal elements exploited the situation, forcibly entering the factory and causing significant damage to vehicles and property. One person died during the violence.
Osifeso added that order has since been restored in the area. “Normalcy has returned to the affected area with the immediate deployment of the command’s operational and tactical units to prevent future occurrences. So far, twelve suspects have been arrested in connection with the violent protest,” he said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ayodele Sonubi, has directed that the case be handled by the Homicide Department of the State Criminal Investigation Department, under the direct supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police.