Police Release Detained AAC Guber Candidate
Ondo State Police Command has released Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate, who was arrested on Saturday during the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Ajayi’s release was confirmed by the Take It Back Movement and Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the AAC.
Ajayi was detained alongside several others, including Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back Movement, during the 10th day of the nationwide hunger strike.
The protest tagged #EndBadGovernanceIn Nigeria aimed to draw attention to calls for improved governance in Nigeria.
READ ALSO
●Police Arrest Gov Candidate During Protest
●Exposed: Judge Who Restricted Abuja Protesters To Stadium Is Wike’s Kinsman
However, while Ajayi and five others were released on Sunday evening, Patrick Owolabi remains in police custody. The Take It Back Movement and Sowore have demanded Owolabi’s immediate release.
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 AAC party 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 the 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 8:35 pm 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.”
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
