The Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State has arrested eight suspects for allegedly assaulting police officers during an incident that occurred on Christmas Day in the Sango-Ota area of the state.
The suspects were accused of unlawful assembly, breach of public peace, obstruction of traffic and assault on officers while they were carrying out their lawful duties.
The command’s spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Friday in Abeokuta. He said the arrests followed reports of disturbances at Temidire Junction and the Under-Bridge area in Sango-Ota.
According to Babaseyi, the suspects were part of a group operating under the name “Democratic Republic of the Yoruba,” which allegedly barricaded major roads, set bonfires, disrupted traffic flow and attacked police officers deployed to maintain law and order.
“Upon receiving the report, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the affected locations, successfully dispersed the group, and arrested all the suspects,” he said.
Babaseyi added that items recovered from the suspects included a Toyota Dyna vehicle allegedly used to transport them, two broadcast equipment sets, a carton containing flags and shirts bearing inscriptions linked to their agitation, as well as banners displaying their messages and manifesto.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Larne Ogunlowo, reassured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state. He warned that the police would not tolerate actions capable of breaching public peace, stressing that any assault on police officers would be met with decisive action.
Ogunlowo also urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and to report suspicious activities promptly through the command’s emergency toll-free lines.
