The Osun Masterminds, Nigerian Bar Association, and a group of human rights activists on Wednesday demanded details of soldiers involved in the killing of a 37-year-old car dealer, Adeyinka Adekunle, at nd a reinforcement of soldiers bombarded the scene. the Ibodi Barracks, in Ilesa, Osun State.
The interviewsNigeria gathered that the deceased and one of his friend, Solomon Ogundare was at a Pleasure Joint in the Imo area in Ilesa on March 24, 2022, when a misunderstanding erupted just shortly after three soldiers in mufti entered the pleasure spot demanding they buy them drinks of which was ignored which later resulted to a quarrel.
According to the report, one of the military officers beckoned on the phone to the Ibodi barracks for reinforcement of fellow soldiers who bombarded the scene.
Adeyinka escaped from the scene but his friend was not that lucky; he was caught and bundled into the army barracks. Adeyinka was later apprehended the second day when he was at the barracks in company of his friend’s sister, Elizabeth Itunu, to secure a release of his vehicle and Ogundare.
He died after being subjected to torture by the soldiers, who also allegedly forced him to eat his vomit!
Although the military police had reportedly arrested the soldiers concerned in the dastardly act, the authorities in the Ibodi division have refused to expose the identities of the suspects.
However, the NBA, Osogbo branch in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Daud Ajetunmobi, said the association was ready to take up the matter
The statement said the branch Chairman, Mr. Hassan Agbelekale, had directed the human rights committee of the group to look into the matter with a view to bringing the soldiers to justice.
While demanding the immediate release of the soldiers to appropriate authorities, the NBA warned that the era of jungle justice was gone in the country.
‘’As an association, the death of any man diminishes us, because we are part of mankind. Nobody has the right to take the life of another person except through a valid court judgment.
‘’We call on the authorities to release the soldiers that are involved in the dastardly act to the police so they can have their day in court’’.
Meanwhile, The Osun Masterminds, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ayodeji Ologun, condemned the arbitrary use of force by officers of the Nigerian Army on harmless residents of Osun State, particularly the people of Ilesa who are immediate neighbours and host of the military base in Ibodi.
The group gave the military 72 hours to release the names of the soldiers involved in the murder.
The statement reads, ‘’We demand with immediate effect that the military hierarchy release the names of officers involved in the unwholesome interference of public peace in Ilesa and those through whom and in whose custody their victim died.
‘’It is unbelievable that the Army authorities have so far refused to release details of those soldiers. Why are they being shielded?
‘’As a civil group, we have concluded plans to petition the Chief of Army Staff as well as the President in his capacity as the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic if within 72 hours the names of the culprits are not made known. We will continue to mount a watch as things unfold until justice is finally served’’.
In his comment, one resident at Ilesa Ibrahim said, ‘’why is it that our securitymen don’t value the life of harmless innocent citizens’’’’ This country is something else’.’ We just hope that justice will be done in this case’’ he said.