Police arrest 20 youths for defying Oro festival ban

Tension in Ikenne, Ogun State, escalated into violence on Saturday as youths protested a ban on the Oro festival, leading to the arrest of 20 individuals and the impoundment of two vehicles.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the arrests, attributing the unrest to a longstanding obaship crisis in the town.

“We are very much aware of the situation, it is a fallout of the longstanding obaship crisis in the town and recently, the court dismissed the one currently on the throne but the judgement had been appealed,” Alamutu explained.

The ban on the Oro festival was imposed by the local government to prevent a potential breach of peace, given the tense atmosphere.

However, some youths defied the ban, taking to the streets to demonstrate and burning tyres on the major road. This led to a clash with police operatives, resulting in the arrests.

Alamutu stated, “We have arrested 20 of them, impounded two vehicles and everyone will soon be brought to the state command at Eleweran, Abeokuta, to answer for their misdeeds.”