Some youths had stormed the Palace of the Oluwo of Iwo on Thursday to protest the heavy presence of the police tactical squads in the town on Thursday.
There is information that heavy police tactical teams have been deployed in Iwo and Ilesha in Osun State over fears that some robbers were planning to rob their banks.
Some youths had stormed the Palace of the Oluwo of Iwo on Thursday to protest the heavy presence of the police tactical squads in the town on Thursday.
The protesters converged in front of the royal court of the Iwo monarch over possible harassment of youths by the security agents as there was tension in the town.
The deployment of the policemen in the town, was however, to repel possible attacks by armed robbers targeting banks in Osun State.
While speaking to SaharaReporters on Friday, the Iwo monarch, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi said the Police Headquarters from Abuja worked based on intelligence that Iwo and Ilesha might be next targets for assailants robbing banks.
The monarch said this was contingent upon robbery attacks that happened in Ikire barely two weeks ago where lives were lost.
The traditional ruler debunked the information that they were defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel, adding that the youths had not seen such policemen before in the town.
"They are police not SARS personnel. A bank was robbed like last two weeks or so, and many people were killed by these armed robbers in Ikire. The police thought they might be targeting other places, so they deployed some tactical teams from Abuja.
"Even Abba Kyari’s tactical team was involved and they said Iwo might be their next target because there are many banks here. So they talked about Iwo and Ilesha.
"The youths thought they were SARS because they have not experienced that kind of heavy tactical teams of police before. They were afraid thinking their presence would lead to harassment. So that was why they staged a protest at my palace yesterday morning," the monarch said.
He disclosed how he addressed them and that the state Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Taoheed Olawale Olokode later called and thanked him for dousing the tension in the town.
"When they came, I went out and addressed them. When all of them were talking, I told them to present a leader to talk. There cannot be a group without a leader, and that was necessary to avoid the scenario of #EndSARS protests.
"They presented a leader and talked about the presence of the police. I was not even aware of their arrival until the youths engaged me in their conversation.
"After addressing them that we would look into the matter, they were happy and they sang for me in their relieved joyous mood. It was after that that the CP called and thanked me for dousing the tension," he said.