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“Comrade Moshood Oshunfunrewa, a leading member of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) in Ajegunle Lagos, was arrested this afternoon by armed police officers over the protest being planned for tomorrow against police killings, brutality and extortion in the community,” DSM said in a statement signed by Segun Sango, its General Secretary.
“He is presently detained at Ajeromi Police Station. His arrest and detention was ordered by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO),” DSM added.
The organisation said the death of Saturday Hanson, a commercial motorcycle operator (okada rider), who was knocked down on February 29 while (cops) were chasing a commercial bus (danfo) driver “they wanted to extort in their usual practice, provoked the campaign and planned protest. Saturday Hanson died on March 9 from the injury sustained on February 29”.
The protest is being organised by Campaign Against Police Brutality, Extortion and Killing of Innocent Citizens (CAPBEKIC) which has DSM, community groups, commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders) and others in the community as members.
“Comrade Moshood’s arrest and detention was to kick-start a series of arrest and detention of leading members of the campaign, the brutal suppression of the campaign against police brutality and the suppression of the peaceful mass protest planned to hold tomorrow.
“Police officers of Ajeromi Police Station like the other police stations in Ajegunle are notoriously involved in illegal arrest and detention of innocent people, killing of innocent people, extortion and brutality. On April 1, 2010, Police officers killed Charles Okafor in the process of carrying out their extortionist raid.
“The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) is demanding an unconditional and immediate release of Moshood Oshunfunrewa; the arrest and prosecution of police officers involved in the killing of Saturday Hanson; full compensation for the families of Hanson and all previous victims of police brutality/killing, and an immediate end to police brutality in Ajegunle and elsewhere in Nigeria,” the organisation said.
