A witness of the July 3 “Yoruba Nation rally” shooting incident appeared before a magistrate court in Ogba on Monday to testify as a witness to the murder of Jumoke Oyeleke.

The witness, Banjoko Philips, told the court that Ms Oyeleke was shot in his residence in Ojota by police officers who fired gunshots to disperse protesters during the rally.

Recounting how it happened, Mr Philips said the RRS police unit surrounded both sides of the road towards Ketu expressway, armed with guns and hot water sprayers.

He said they arrived at the scene in their numbers in armoured tanks and pick-up trucks.

The witness said people ran into his compound and that of other neighbours for safety when the police opened fire on the protesters.

He recalled that he had asked his wife and workers to stay indoors.

“The whole place looked as if there was going to be a war with all manner of police uniforms worn by the policemen,” he said. 

“There were also police vehicles like that of the RRS, armoured tanks, pick-ups, including hot water sprayers positioned in strategic places up to the Total filling station close to where I live.

“That suddenly, shortly after we started hearing gunshots from all over and everyone was scampering for safety. I immediately instructed my wife to lie down on the bed to avoid being hit by a stray bullet.

“So many people ran into our compound with some others trying to jump our fence into another compound,” Mr Philips said.

He added that he then “called one of the people and asked what happened. He said they were being pursued by the police and their bullet had hit a girl selling yoghurt, that the girl was lying down there. I then wanted to run downstairs to check by myself but my wife prevented me from doing so.”

Mr Philips said that when he rushed downstairs to check what happened, he met the deceased in a pool of blood.

According to Mr Philips, Ms Oyeleke died on the spot before they could seek help.