Youths On Rampage As SARS Officials Chase Three Suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’ To Death In Osogbo

Some youths have gone on rampage in Osogbo, capital of Osun State over alleged killing of three suspected internet fraudsters by police operatives.

The Nation reports that a vehicle belonging to the JTF had chased a Toyota Corolla car with four occupants along East bypass, Osogbo which led to an accident around 5:10pm in the evening.

An eyewitness stated that while trying to escape from the JTF vehicle, the driver of the car skidded off Oba Adesoji Aderemi East-West Bypass expressway, Osogbo into a ditch, hitting an electric pole.

Three of the passengers were said to have died in the accident and others severely injured.

In protest of the alleging killing, several amount of youths, mounted bikes and started attacking commuters as well as traffic officers with dangerous weapons.

The protesters dumped a corpse believed to be that of the deceased in front of Osun Government House, Oke Fia, and destroyed a motorcycle.

Also, the protesters, who were mostly youths, also targeted police operatives and attacked many bystanders around Oke Fia, Alekuwodo, and Ilobu road.

They waylaid a patrol vehicle of Joint Task Force along Alekuwodo area and destroyed it, while many traffic wardens met on duty were beaten up.

Police probe cops extorting N100,000 from youths claiming they are yahoo boys

The Police Complaint Response Unit says it is investigating an allegation levelled against men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji Adele, Lagos.

The policemen were accused of arbitrarily arresting youths in the Mushin area of the state, tagging them as Internet fraudsters and demanding that they part with N100,000 each before being set free.

The Police CRU, in response to a tweet, said, “Your complaint is hereby acknowledged and investigation has been initiated. Your tracking number is #CRU694654. Thank you for contacting NPF-CRU.”

According to an activist, Segun Awosanya, the policemen usually order their victims to call on their relatives to bail them with N100,000 each.

The activist tweeted, “FSARS from Adeniji Police Station went to Mushin today (Wednesday) to shop for innocent victims. They took a number of guys and ordered them to start calling their families after being harassed at gunpoint and tagged ‘Yahoo boys’, having violated their privacy by going through their phones.

“They parked under Jibowu Bridge where families came to buy back their wards’ freedom at N100,000 per head asking price. Some were lucky to get a rebate, having proven that they had been abducted once before by the same team.”

According to Awosanya, some of the youth were tagged fraudsters simply for having on their phones the Google Hangout app, which allows people to have virtual video calls.

He further tweeted, “A man, whose staffer was among those raided, narrated his ordeal and how he was made to pay N40,000 to release his staff for having Google Hangout on his phone. They claim this app has been outlawed by the Federal Government and they are in charge of this anti-Google Hangout operation. Is this a country?

“Can these rogues be arrested and jailed for armed robbery and kidnapping? The witnesses are willing to testify. This shouldn’t be happening in a country that has a President, even if invalid. Will the police be the trigger of the end of our democracy? It is looking that way.”