…Demands Aiyedatiwa’s intervention to stop ‘judicial intimidation’
…Says charges baseless, threatens mass protest
…Accuse Attorney General of using DSS, Police for vendetta
The Ondo State Youth Network, OSYN, on Tuesday condemned the remand of three youths by a court sitting in Akure, alleging political victimisation orchestrated by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kayode Ajulo.
The group described the remand as a gross abuse of power and a deliberate attempt to intimidate young voices in the state, calling on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently caution his appointee before the situation gets out of hand.
In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Christopher Olusa, and made available to Starnews NG, the group alleged that the affected youths, Adediran Gabriel, Yaya Bisola, and Akeju Blessing James were unjustly targeted after a confrontation with the Attorney-General on 28th March.
According to OSYN, the trio, who are executives of the Akoko Youth Forum, had visited the A-G in his office but were allegedly met with verbal attacks and demeaning utterances.
The group said rather than address the concerns of the visiting youths, Ajulo allegedly used security agencies, including the Department of State Services and the police, to harass and detain them without any legal basis.
Although they were later released following interventions by concerned citizens, the group said the matter took a new twist when the youths were served court summons containing what it described as “baseless and defective” charges.
“During Tuesday’s court sitting at a chief magistrates’ court in Akure, all four charges were struck out for lack of jurisdiction, and the application for their remand was declared incompetent. But in a shocking turn, the presiding magistrate ordered their remand pending ruling on April 16,” the group stated.
The youth body described the development as a “dangerous descent into tyranny,” stressing that the remand order, despite the legal flaws, suggested political interference and an attempt to silence critics using the courts.
“This is not justice. This is persecution. These young people did nothing wrong. They simply stood up against intimidation and are now being punished for it,” the statement added.
The group also raised concerns over growing insecurity in the state, warning that such actions by public officials could aggravate an already fragile situation.
“The same state battling herdsmen attacks and rampant kidnappings is now spending its energy locking up innocent youths. If the government cannot accept dissenting opinions, then it has failed the young people who form the backbone of its development,” it added.
OSYN further warned against any move to transfer the trio to the Olokuta Correctional Centre, describing it as provocative and capable of triggering a statewide protest.
“Our Coordinator, Afe Ezekiel, has warned that any such transfer will be resisted through lawful means. We are ready to mobilise young people across the state if this injustice is not reversed,” the group declared.
It also issued a stern message to the Attorney-General, asking him to retrace his steps and stop “dragging the honour of the legal profession in the mud.”
“The people are watching. The youths are watching. And history will not forget,” the statement concluded.
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