There is controversy over the death of Muyideen Mustapha Opobiyi, who was killed in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Tuesday during a protest against the removal of fuel subsidy. He was allegedly killed by police bullet. But the police have denied the allegation, claiming Opobiyi was stabbed by one of the protesters, reports ADEKUNLE JIMOH

Who killed Muyideen Mustapha Opobiyi? This is the question on the lips of many Kwarans. The question may require high technology to unravel.

The late Muyideen, 23, was a casualty of the protest against fuel subsidy removal in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. 

The deceased, a product of Army Day Secondary School, Maitama Abuja, hailed from the Agbaji family of Ilorin.

He was allegedly felled by police bullets. But the police have denied the allegation, claiming that the deceased was stabbed by one of the protesters for not joining the fray. 

Commissioner of Police Peter Gana absolved the command of culpability.

His words: “I’m aware that some media houses have given report that two or three protesters were killed; that is not true. One person was killed and it was not from police bullet. Police had no cause to fire any bullet into the crowd and did not fire any bullet into the crowd.

“We are aware that hoodlums, who hijacked the protests, were armed with cutlasses, locally made pistols and other offensive weapons. We are being careful about it and it is our responsibility to see that Kwarans are protected from the activities of hoodlums.”

The deceased came to Ilorin for a three months computer training course which he completed last Saturday.

The deceased’s father, Alhaji Mustapha Oke-Odo, said he has accepted it as the will of God, but wants the perpetrators to be brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others.

Muyideen’s half brother Rafiu said the news of his death came as a  shock to the family.
Rafiu, who works with one of the new generation banks in Ilorin, said: “We feel very sad. In fact, it is an ugly and unfortunate incident. They have thrown us into mourning but as Muslim we take it as an act of God. We believe that God gives and takes life. We are not interested in suing the government. But we want  Nigeria and  world to know that the picture the police have painted is false. 

“The news said the police shot him but the police are claiming that he was stabbed by one of the protesters. It is not true at all because eye witnesses told us that he was felled by the police bullet. When we went to the mortuary to claim his body for burial the police came, went in with the doctors and chased our brother out when the autopsy was being carried out. 

“I know that the police had ulterior motives. It was clear to us that the wounds showed to us that it was gunshot. The police should be cautioned to be civil in handling protests. People are angry against a policy government is trying to implement. The protest was peaceful. All the police needed to do on that day was to guide them from vandalising people’s property. I watched the Abuja and Lagos protests on television, police didn’t shoot at people, they didn’t kill anybody. They only shot teargas canisters to scare people away. I don’t know what came over the police in Kwara?” 
A former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kwara State, Emmanuel Ayeoribe, described Opobiyi’s death as a confrontation by the establishment against the citizens, saying “it is the most wicked act.” 

His words: “People should be allowed to hold their views in a democracy. But surprisingly, yesterday while some people were protesting this increment in the prices of PMS, the police came out and murdered one of us. We see it as deliberate attack on civilians who have nothing except the power of expression. What is worrisome is that it is the people’s money that is used to buy these guns, but ironically they are turning the guns to maim and murder us. 

“We condemn in very strong term the wicked murder of Opobiyi. We want to assure the authorities that this action can in no way intimidate us, but rather it will strengthen us. The minimum the state government can do is to constitute a probe panel into the death of Opoboyi to determine the remote and immediate causes of the slain protester and whoever is involved must be brought to book. 

“But more importantly, I want to assure the security agencies that killing Nigerians is not the solution to this problem. Even if they like they can go and import bomb, I want to remind them that events in the Arab world where some leaders have chosen to kill, maim and assassinate the people in no way stalled the protests in the Arab world. Nigeria cannot be the same until the issue is resolved.”

Also, the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the murder of Opebiyi.

In a statement signed by the branch’s chairman, Rafiu Balogun, said: “We were totally puzzled, bewildered, flabbergasted and worried by the ugly situation whereby an innocent Nigerian will be killed simply because he is expressing his disapproval of the obnoxious policy of the Federal Government. It is disheartening that the police will kill innocent Nigerians they are paid with taxpayers’ money to protect.

“We have expressed our condemnation of extra-judicial killing by the police on several occasions but to no avail. We, therefore, join other civil society groups, or Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and well meaning Nigerians in calling for a total reorganisation of the police and orientation of the officers and men of the force with a view to making them more civil in their approach and have respect for human lives.

“It should be emphasised that every Nigerian has the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution and we are astonished that live cartridges will be used by the police to disperse or intimidate citizens of this country while exercising their right to condemn government policy that affects their existence and well being.

“We note with dismay the attitude of the police in Ilorin on Wednesday during the emergency meeting of the association. Two police utility vehicles drove in front of the High Court premises and the policemen therein shot sporadically into the air and people were running for safety. The gunshots led to immediate adjournment of a court sitting at the time.

“We also urge the Inspector General of Police to give direction that no live cartridge be used to disperse protesters. We also enjoin the IGP to investigate the killing of Muyideen in Ilorin with a view to making the erring police officer face the full wrath of the law.”
The Kwara State government described the death of the deceased as an unfortunate development. 

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold said: “The death of Muyideen was particularly painful to the state because at that youthful age, he had a brighter future and would have become another glory to the state.” 

The SSG spoke during a condolence visit to the family. He urged the police to fish out the killers.