The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the alleged unprofessional conduct of operatives attached to the Jobele Police Division in Afijio Local Government Area of the state following a protest that disrupted activities along the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway on Tuesday.

The protest, which caused massive traffic gridlock and stranded hundreds of commuters and motorists for hours, was reportedly triggered by residents’ anger over alleged police actions and the growing wave of kidnapping and banditry in the area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olayinka Ayanlade, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan on Tuesday, said disciplinary steps had already been taken against officers involved in the incident pending the outcome of the investigation.

According to him, the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who led the patrol team involved in the incident, as well as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Jobele Division, have been issued queries.

He added that an Inspector linked to the matter has been defaulted and detained while investigations continue.

“The Oyo State Police Command has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegation of unprofessional conduct by operatives of the Jobele Division, which reportedly resulted in the protest witnessed earlier today.

“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, the ASP who led the patrol team involved and the Divisional Police Officer have been issued queries respectively, while the Inspector concerned has been defaulted and detained pending the outcome of the investigation,” the statement read.

Ayanlade added that the investigation had commenced in accordance with established rules and regulations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that appropriate disciplinary actions are taken where necessary.

Earlier on Tuesday, angry residents staged a protest at the Jobele axis of the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway, blocking the busy highway and disrupting vehicular and human movement.

The protesters said their action was triggered by persistent cases of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area.

They alleged that suspected kidnappers invaded one of the communities on Monday in an attempt to abduct a woman.

According to them, the victim narrowly escaped after scaling a fence but sustained a deep machete cut on one of her hands during the attack.

“On Monday, suspected kidnappers invaded one of our communities in an attempt to abduct a lady. She narrowly escaped by scaling a fence, but she sustained a deep machete cut on one of her hands,” one of the protesters said.

The residents insisted that the attack was not an isolated case, adding that the community had witnessed several similar incidents in recent times.

“We are not going to leave the road until our safety as residents is guaranteed by the relevant security agencies,” the protesters declared.

Meanwhile, the Ward 8 representative in Afijio Local Government Area, Dolapo Awotunde, disclosed that the council had recorded no fewer than seven kidnapping incidents in recent times.

Awotunde said the latest attack occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning, during which a victim was brutally attacked by the perpetrators. (Guardian)