Three persons have reportedly been killed after angry residents in Sagamu, Ogun State, took to the streets to protest the killing of Remo Stars footballer Tiyamiyu Kazeem by operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
#EndSARS Protest currently on going in Sagamu to protest the killing of Tiamiyu Kazeem pic.twitter.com/aZ7ffzmsNd
— Zamora (@orladhortun) February 24, 2020
A club statement said Kazeem was killed on Saturday, 22 February after he was hit by an oncoming car after being pushed out of a SARS vehicle conveying him to a police station on allegations of being a “Yahoo Boy” (internet fraudster) despite the player having proved his identity to the operatives.
A statement credited to the spokesperson of the Ogun State command DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, however, offered an alternative version of events claiming that the player had jumped out of the vehicle in an attempt to escape arrest for wearing military fatigues.
Angered by the situation, Sagamu residents including aged men and women took to the streets with placards demanding justice over the alleged murder and calling for the scrapping of the SARS unit.
videos from the ongoing peaceful Protest in Sagamu over alleged killing of Footballer by SARS Operatives
.#endsars #sagamu pic.twitter.com/98Rvx9G1T5— QUEEN OF THE EAST (@PedDebby) February 24, 2020
They were reports of clashes with policemen and unconfirmed videos on social media showed what appeared to be a police station on fire.
I'm ashamed of the failed state of my State & Nation.
People of Sagamu protested peacefully the killing of a footballer by SARS but guess what @PoliceNG men did in response? They killed 2 more innocent souls!@dabiodunMFR, how many more souls have to die before u take action?
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) February 24, 2020
Amid palpable tension between protesters and armed policemen, shots rang out and three persons were reported to have been hit and killed by the bullets.
Update: Police has shot one of the protesters dead https://t.co/77aVhWbj03
— Zamora (@orladhortun) February 24, 2020
Several eyewitness accounts on Twitter allege that the shots were fired by the police but in a swift reaction, the police in Sagamu denied firing any shots at protesters claiming instead that the protest has been hijacked by “cultists” who they say were responsible for the shooting.
Just finished a meeting with the DCP (CID), Area Commanders and they stated that armed protesters were responsible for the shootings. They have stated that Cultists have hijacked the protest. https://t.co/ohOiy0JHBs
— Zamora (@orladhortun) February 24, 2020
Hear the Nigerian Police SWIFT response at Sagamu.
They have said the shootings were done by cult boys and have blamed social media influencers for fake news.
Oga Police, there are ACTUAL videos!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/SG0FMd8pER
— the Morris Monye factor (@Morris_Monye) February 24, 2020
Sahara Reporters quoted a resident of the town named Kehinde Adekoya, who confirmed that he had seen three bodies across various parts of Sagamu following the violence.
“I can tell you that at least three persons have been killed, I saw their bodies with my eyes. The entire place is boiling now. We don’t want SARS anymore in Sagamu,” he was quoted as saying.
