Yoruba Group Flays NSCDC Over Alleged Unlawful Detention Of S/West Hunters’ Leader

Members of the Oodua Redemption Alliance across six states in the South-West have protested the alleged unlawful arrest and detention of the National President of Soludero Hunters’ Association, Oba Nureni Lasisi over alleged false charges by officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oyo State command.

Though, Lasisi has been discharged and acquitted by the Chief Judge of Oyo State, the security agents had detained him for 44 days at Abolongo Correctional Centre, Oyo Town.

Speaking with journalists in Ibadan on Monday about the alleged abuse of power, the leader of Oodua Redemption Alliance whose members spread across Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo and Ogun States, Dr Victor Taiwo, who was flanked by his deputy, Dr Tope Taiwo, Wale Alabi and Nureni Lasisi wondered how the victim who had worked tirelessly for the security of the state could be treated in such an inhumane manner over a frivolous charge.

He said, “In recognition of Soludero Hunters Association as a licensed outfit, the Oyo State Government employed the service of this security outfit which is performing very inspiringly to the satisfaction of the government authorities in checkmating crimes in the state.”

He said, upon receiving an information that one of the leaders of several organizations under his control had been detained, he visited the Correctional Centre and discovered that the charge put against him was only “a ploy and gross abuse of official authority to victimize the man in order to unlawfully take possession of his landed property by a particular NSCDC officer in Oyo.”

Taiwo asked how a duly registered security outfit with the Federal Government with due license to carry firearms could be prosecuted for possessing a rifle.”

According to him, the humiliation they exposed Oba Akintola Lasisi to was too much for about 50 days adding that his neighbours were made to believe that he was detained for being a ritual killer, the rumour he described as spurious and unfounded.

“Aside that somebody was harassed, victimized and imprisoned unlawfully for good six days and another 44 days with untold physical and psychological trauma, this man, Nureni has been subjected to terrible shame of unfounded denigrating rumour by mongers who have tagged him a ‘ritual killer’.

“You can imagine, while he was being detained for the offence he never committed, people in his neighbourhood were peddling rumour that he was a ritual killer to the extent that they now treat him as an outcast who must be avoided.

“Having been convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the matter on ground was a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of the accused and exhibition of official recklessness, the Chief Judge discharged and acquitted him.”

To clear the tarnished reputation of this great hunter, the Oodua Redemption Alliance has threatened to file a suit against the NSCDC for the breach of the fundamental rights of the victim.