TIB Movement Condemns Four Years of Injustice After Killing of 16-Year-Old Qudus and 21 Others in Ibadan #EndSARS Protest
The Take It Back (TIB) Movement has expressed disappointment over the failure of Governor Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry to bring closure to the killing of 16-year-old Qudus Agbolade and 21 others during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
The protests, which took place across multiple states in Nigeria, called for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit notorious for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.
In a statement released on Sunday, Solomon Emiola, Oyo State Coordinator of the TIB Movement, criticized the fact that police officers accused of killing protesters have not been brought to trial. He recalled that around 11 a.m. on October 20, 2020, several people were killed at the Ojoo roundabout in Ibadan during a peaceful protest. The incident happened on Ojoo Market Day.
Emiola stated, “There had been a nationwide protest calling for the disbandment of the police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which had earned the nickname ‘Special Youth Killers Squad.’ The protests had continued for days until Tuesday, October 20, 2020, when officers from the Ojoo Police Division, led by CSP Adeola Odetunde, opened fire, disrupting the peaceful demonstrations.”
Years after the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry was established, Emiola lamented that critical questions remain unanswered: “Who killed Qudus Agbolade and the 21 others? Was there a massacre at Ojoo roundabout? How many police officers have been charged with crimes against humanity? How many victims and families of the deceased have been compensated?”
Emiola emphasized the tragic story of Qudus Agbolade, who was 16 years old and the firstborn of his family. He had recently completed his Junior Secondary School III exams at Mount Olivet Grammar School in Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan, and was waiting for his results when he became a victim of the Ojoo massacre.
The statement also condemned the fact that the perpetrators have not been held accountable. Instead of facing justice, some of the officers involved have reportedly been promoted. Agbolade’s family sought justice through the #EndSARS Panel of Inquiry in 2021, but since the panel concluded its sessions, Governor Makinde has yet to release the panel’s reports and recommendations.
Emiola called on all advocates for justice to support the Agbolade family in their fight for justice for Qudus. He also urged other families affected by the “Ojoo Massacre” to speak out and continue to demand justice for their lost loved ones.
