…Not sure the boy was arrested by police – PPRO
By Daniel Ayantoye
Human Right Lawyer, Tolu Babaleye Esq, has threatened to file a suit against the Ogun State Police Command over the arrest of a secondary school boy.
The boy whose name and school was not stated was allegedly arrested by the Ogun State Police for wearing charm bracelet to school.
In a photo that has gone viral on social media, the boy was seen in his school uniform handcuffed.
However, Babaleye who took to his facebook handle, described the arrest as illegal and violation of human right.
According to him, the charm bracelet could be “Gbekude” a yoruba charm for protection.
The statement reads in full, “I read on Facebook that this boy in picture below was arrested in Ogun State today because he wore Charm bracelet to School.
“If this is true, then this is nothing but an illegal arrest as wearing charm is not an offence. It is permitted by the 1999 Constitution.
“The question to be asked is will this boy be arrested if he had come to school with Tesbiu, Rossary, Cross or scapular? Why are we
relegating African culture and promoting Arabic and English culture? Na wa o!
“I call on Ogun State Police to immediately release this boy and apologies to him or else I may be forced to come to Ogun State to file Fundamental Rights Application against them and the person who instigated the arrest for violating the Fundamental Human Rights of this boy to Religion of his choice! Nigeria is a secular State please. What the boy had on him may be “Gbekude’.” He added.
However, when contacted by NATIONAL TELESCOPE, the Ogun State Police Relation Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi said “I don’t think it is the police that arrested that boy, so I won’t be able to say much on it.”
