Hoodlums Storm Osun Court, Hold Journalists Hostage

Some journalists were reportedly held hostage in the premises of the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, on Tuesday.

The development occured as the court heard applications for and against the bail of a member of Osun Park Management System, Olalekan Oyeyemi.

Naija News reports that Oyeyemi, popularly known as ‘Emir’ is on trial on a 10-count charge that include conspiracy, malicious damage, unlawful killing and acts of terrorism.

He had pleaded not guilty, while his counsel, Edmund Biriomoni, filed a formal bail application for his release.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, defence counsel, Biriomoni, informed the court of his decision to withdraw a bail application filed on February 7, 2024, and drew attention to another application for bail he filed on March 13, 2024.

In his ruling, Justice N. Ayo-Emmanuel, reserved the ruling on the applications, saying the date of the next sitting would be communicated to the parties in the matter.

After the presiding judge had adjourned the matter, suspected hoodlums who had thronged the court in large numbers held some journalists covering the matter hostage within the court premises.

The hoodlums, who identified some of the journalists while the court was in session, threatened to attack them after the proceedings.

The journalists involved could not leave the premises for about 40 minutes after adjournment, until some police operatives deployed to the premises escorted them out of the court, as the suspected hoodlums, who converged under a tree outside the court, were ordered to vacate the area by a female police operative.