The police in Akure, the Ondo State capital, are detaining Patrick Owolabi, a student activist and member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
They arrested Owolabi and at least six others on Saturday, but despite releasing six of them on Sunday evening, they continued to keep the activist in their custody.
FIJ gathered that the police accused him of cultism, conspiracy and breach of public peace.
Kunle Ajayi, African Action Congress (AAC) candidate for the Ondo gubernatorial election, shared an X post saying Owolabi reported a cultist threat to the Student Union Government (SUG) and management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), before his arrest.
Owolabi and Ajayi were among the men arrested on Saturday.
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Ajayi’s post read, “Patrick Owolabi is a student leader who only reported a cultist threat to the union and management. He is not like those wearing cultist’s beret at Alagbaka!
“#FreeOwolabi now!!! Protest is a fundamental human right!!! #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #RevolutionNow.”
Attached to his post was a banner containing Owolabi’s image.
FIJ called Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), on Monday. She requested that the newspaper send her a text message instead. She has yet to respond to this text message as of press time.
The #EndBadGovernance protest began on August 1 and ended on Saturday as Nigerians took to the streets to demand changes to harsh economic policies that have increased inflation rates and the cost of living.
During this protest, the police and other security agencies arrested over 200 persons and killed over 20.
The post Ondo Police Arrest #EndBadGovernance Protester Patrick Owolabi, Label Him a Cultist appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.