#endbadgovernance police release ondo aac governorship candidate wizeman and five others who were detained
The Ondo State Police Command has released Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate for the upcoming election in Ondo State. Ajayi was arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protest.
On Saturday, Ajayi was detained in Akure along with several other protesters, including Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement. The arrests took place on the 10th day of the nationwide hunger strike, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, which aimed to highlight calls for better governance.
Ajayi was released on Sunday night, as confirmed by the Take It Back Movement and Omoyele Sowore, the former AAC presidential candidate, via X social media. While Tobi Pope, also detained with Ajayi, was released, Patrick Owolabi remains in custody.
The Take It Back Movement stated, “Kunle Wizeman Ajayi and five others illegally detained in Ondo by @PoliceNG have been released this evening. The Police force is still illegally holding student activist Patrick Owolabi. We demand his immediate release!”
Sowore added, “Gubernatorial candidate of the AAC in Ondo State, Kunle Wizeman Ajayi @AjayiWizeman, and five others illegally detained by @PoliceNG for participating in #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria were released this evening. However, @OndoPoliceNg is still holding student activist Patrick Owolabi! Governor @LuckyAiyedatiwa must order his immediate release.”
Lawyer Tope Temokun, representing the detained protesters, also confirmed the release of Ajayi and the others. Temokun criticized the continued detention of Owolabi, the TIB Coordinator in Ondo State, calling it unjust.
In a statement titled ‘Today No Sabbath For Our CP in Akure,’ Temokun noted that due to persistent pressure, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police had to come into the office on Sunday to facilitate the release of the detained protesters.
“This evening, August 11, 2024, six out of the seven arrested protesters in Akure were released by the Commissioner of Police, while Patrick Owolabi, the TIB Coordinator in Ondo, is still being held on flimsy grounds. Justice is incomplete if it is partial. We will intensify our efforts to secure Owolabi’s release tomorrow.”
