Police Release Ondo AAC Governorship Candidate, Wizeman, 5 Others Detained Over #EndBadGovernance Protests
On Saturday, Ajayi was taken into custody in Akure, along with several other demonstrators, including Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, a human rights advocacy group.
The Ondo State Police Command has released the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, who was arrested over the #EndBadGovernance protest.
On Saturday, Ajayi was taken into custody in Akure, along with several other demonstrators, including Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, a human rights advocacy group.
The arrests occurred on the 10th day of the nationwide hunger strike, dubbed #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, which aimed to bring attention to calls for improved governance in the country.
Wizeman was released on Sunday night as confirmed by Take It Back Movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, on X social media.
However, the police also released Tobi Pope arrested alongside Wizeman, but are still holding Patrick Owolabi in detention.
Confirming Ajayi’s release, TIB wrote, “Kunle Wizeman Ajayi and 5 others illegally detained in Ondo by @PoliceNG have been released this evening.
“The Police force is still illegally holding a student activist, Patrick Owolabi in custody. We demand his immediate release!”
Also, Sowore wrote, “Guber Candidate of AACparty Ondo State, Kunle Wizeman Ajayi @AjayiWizeman, and five others illegally detained in Ondo by Nigeria Police Force @PoliceNG for participating in #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria were released this evening.
“However, @OndoPoliceNg is still illegally holding a student activist, Patrick Owolabi! Gov. @LuckyAiyedatiwa must order the Police to release Patrick immediately.”
The lawyer representing the arrested protesters, Tope Temokun, who also confirmed release of Ajayi and others lamented that Owolabi, who is the TIB Coordinator in Ondo State, was still being held for a flimsy reason.
In a statement titled, ‘Today No Sabbath For Our CP in Akure’, the lawyer said that as a result of pressure from the relentless forces of the struggle, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police had to resume office on Sunday, to see to the release of the detained protesters.
“This 8:35pm of this Sunday, the 11th of August 2024, six out of the seven arrested protesters in Akure were released by the Commissioner of Police, while still holding on to Patrick Owolabi, the TIB coordinator Ondo on a flimsy ground.
“Justice is no justice if it’s cut into half. By tomorrow we must intensify our campaign to free Owolabi.”
