The Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Police Command has revealed on Friday that no fewer than six persons have been arrested, nine injured over attack between Scrap workers and miscreants in Sasa market, Ibadan, Oyo state.

CEOAFRICA learnt that the genesis of the attack was as a result of a social miscreant who was prevented by the scrap workers from messing up their business environment with excretion, after succeeding in preventing him from messing up the place, the miscreant reportedly left the scene angrily and mobilised other hoodlums to attack the scrap workers, who also defended themselves in the attack.

The Oyo Police State command while ensuring that order and normalcy restored in the market, swiftly moved in to intervened and has however confirmed that in the process of the attack, nine persons were injured while six suspects were arrested and being interrogated for possible prosecution.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Oyo State Police Command, SP Fadeyi Olugbenga in a Press Release issued out to CEOAFRICA on Friday evening, said “In the early hours of Friday August 2, 2019, the Division Police Officer (DPO), Ojoo, reported tension and mild conflict allegedly between social miscreants outside the Sasa Market who subsequently penetrated the Sasa Market with a view of causing chaos and looting or stealing from the market men and women”.

“Consequently, the police moved in swiftly to restore order and normalcy. But in the process, different genres of the incident were circulated by uninformed, misguided and mischief makers that there was an ongoing clash between the Hausa and Yoruba in Sasa Market, Ojoo, Ibadan. As a result, the Commissioner of Police, CP. Shina T. Olukolu and Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, DCP. Kehinde Longe personally visited the scene to access the situation and it was discovered that the genesis of the conflict was between some scrap workers and a social miscreant, who was earlier prevented from messing up their immediate environment two days earlier. He went and mobilised others like him to attack the scrap workers”.

Fadeyi further stated “The police moved in, arrested three of them and charged them to court. But, again overnight, the social miscreants regrouped with a view of causing mayhem in the market to enable them loot shops and steal products/valuables or cash from the markets’ men and women. The police, once again quickly deployed and restored law and order. In the process, nine persons were said to have been injured, while six suspects were arrested and are being interrogated for possible prosecution. In the interim, police are on top of the situation”.

The Commissioner of Police, Olukolu, however, warned mischief makers, social miscreants 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. The police will not under any circumstance shirk their constitutional responsibilities of protection of lives and property, nor allow any individual or group under whatever guise to disturb the peace of the state. Hence, there is no such situation or scenario as a clash between the Yoruba and Hausa at the Sasa Market.

Olukoku also enjoined law abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses and duties without any fear of molestation or disturbances of public peace and appeal to all and sundry to give peace a chance and allow peace to reign in the state.