The Oyo State Police Command on Friday revealed that it has arrested no fewer than six persons in connection with an attack on scavengers at the Sasa market in Ibadan, the state capital.
DAILY POST recalls that the market, which is dominated by perishable goods sellers’ who are mostly Hausa by tribe, has been shut indefinitely following attack by some hoodlums who descended on some scavengers within the market in the early hours of Friday.
It was gathered that a number of iron scavengers were in the wee hours of Friday, attacked by suspected hoodlums at market located in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the hoodlums who were also said to be dealing in condemned iron attacked their counterparts whose member allegedly defecated where they are keeping theirs.
A member of the iron scavengers was said to have gone to answer the call of nature where the iron condemned dealers do keep their wares.
As he was sighted, members of the condemned iron dealers mobilized their peers and went on what they called revenge at about 1:00am on Friday.
A shop owner within the market who preferred anonymity, told journalists that some other innocent individuals were also injured during the attack.
But, the state Police command while insisting that normalcy had returned to the market, however, declared that six persons have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed that nine persons sustained injuries, maintained that the six persons arrested are being interrogated for possible prosecution.
Fadeyi in a statement made available to DAILY POST Friday evening said, “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ojoo reported tension and mild conflict allegedly between social miscreants outside Sasa market who subsequently penetrate the market with a view of causing chaos and loot or steal from the market men and women.
“The police moved in a swift to restore order and normalcy, but in the process, different genre of the incident was circulated by uninformed misguided and mischief makers that there was an ongoing clash between the Hausas and Yoruba’s in Sasa market, Ojoo, Ibadan.
“In the process, nine person was said to have sustained injuries, while six suspects were arrested and are being interrogated for possible prosecution, and police are on top of the situation.
“The Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Kehinde Alonge personally visited the scene to access the situation and it was discovered that the genesis of the conflict was between some scraps workers and a social miscreant who was earlier prevented from messing up their immediate environment two days ago, he went and mobilized others like him to attacked the scrap workers.
“The police moved in and arrested three of them and charged them to court, again the social miscreant regroup again to cause mayhem at the market.
“To enable the looted shops and stealer products/valuables or cash from the market men and women, the police once again quickly deployed and restored law and order.
“The commissioner of police wishes to use this opportunity to warn mischief makers, social miscreant and other criminally minded individuals who are bent on causing chaos or disorder in the state to do a rethink before the long arms of the law catches up with them, as the police will not under any circumstances shrink their constitutional responsibilities of protection of lives and property nor allow any individual or group under whatever guide to disturb the peace of the state.”
