Chaos in Oyo As Youths Protest Teenager’s Death, Blame Amotekun
- A teenager was killed by unknown gunmen in Oyo sparking outrage and chaos in the state capital, Ibadan
- Those who took to the street to protest the incident accused operatives of Amotekun of killing the teenager
- The Amotekun boss in the southwest state says the accusation of its operative killing the teenager is false
Ibadan - There was pandemonium in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Wednesday, August 18 as angry youths trooped to the streets to protest against the killing of a 16-year-old boy by some security agents.
The victim, whose identity could not be ascertained, was said to be sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
Source: Facebook
The boy said to be an apprentice at a printer’s shop in the Mokola area of Ibadan, was reported to have been shot dead around 12.30 am.
The Punch newspaper reports that some of the protesters claimed that the teenager was shot by some men of the Amotekun Corps, who were chasing some robbers at the time.
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The youth have carried the victim’s corpse atop a tricycle to the state secretariat, Agodi, and called for the identification and arrest of those behind the killing.
They also made bonfires on the road leading to the secretariat, which reportedly caused gridlock on the road for about two hours.
Some of those who went to the secretariat said they were turned back by the youth, who blocked the road.
Security was quickly beefed up at the secretariat where the governor’s office is located and the gates leading to the place were shut to prevent the protesting youths from going in.
Amotekun reacts
The Nation newspaper reports that the commandant of Amotekun Corps in Oyo state, Col Olayinka Olayanju (rtd.) denied the involvement of his men in the incident that led to the death of the teenager.
He said only those who are not happy with the current government will likely use such things to get at the governor.
Olayanju further said those accusing Amotekun operatives of being responsible for the death of the teenager should provide evidence to substantiate their allegation.
Meanwhile, in Delta, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has charged youths in the state to leverage the various skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development programmes of his administration to extricate themselves from poverty.
The governor stated that youths endowed with skills as entrepreneurs were the leaders of the contemporary and competitive global economy.
He also added that youths’ issues were very central to the heart of his administration in Delta state.
Youths converge in Abuja for discussion on issues affecting young people
In a related development, the Determined, Aspire, Re-Imagine and Express Conference 2021, a pan-African conference organised by YouthHubAfrica, commenced on Friday, August 13 as part of activities to mark the International Youth Day.
The executive director of YouthHubAfrica, Mr Rotimi Olawale, said the purpose of the conference is to bring young people together to interact, learn and also listen to the current trends around the issues that are being discussed.
The coordinator for Spotlight Initiative, Ms Hadiza Aminu Dorayi, said that one of the reasons for the conference is that it would help to educate the youths, including parents, community leaders on important developmental issues.
Source: Legit.ng
