Naira scarcity: 3 killed as Oyo youths, police clash during protest

No fewer than three persons were reportedly killed when protesting youths clashed with men of the Nigerian Police at Dogo community in Apata, Ido Local Government Area of Oyo state.

The incident happened barely 24 hours after some angry residents had thronged the streets of major cities in Oyo state to vent their frustrations over the scarcity of fuel and new naira notes.

It was gathered that a group of youths had assembled in the Apata area on Saturday, February 4, 2023, to stage another protest when security operatives arrived at the scene and asked them to disperse.

The Punch reports that an argument ensued between the youths and the security personnel following the dispersal directive.

The paper quoted a source to have said, “I cannot actually say what really happened. The youths assembled themselves and suddenly police and soldiers arrived in the area. Nobody knew what happened until one of them angrily shot into the air. People started scampering for safety.

“This action infuriated those youths, and they engaged security officers. The officers shot three people. One died immediately, the second guy died before getting to the hospital while the third person died at the hospital.”

However, in its reaction via a statement, the state police command maintained that only one person was killed in the altercation.

Quoting the statement authorised by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, police said, “Today (Saturday) at about 1015hrs, while embarking on series of confidence building patrols around different black spots and flash points, the joint convoy patrol comprising of the police and other agencies ran into a band of hoodlums around Apata junction market, Apata Area, under Ido Local Government Area.”

Pulse had earlier reported that one person was killed by rampaging soldiers in an early morning shooting incident in the same Apata area on Saturday.