The Oyo State Police Command says one death was recorded while 12 suspects were arrested during a violent protest that broke out at the Oluyole Industrial Estate in the state capital Ibadan, on Monday.
Adewale Osifeso, a police spokesman, stated that the alarming violent protests that shook one of Sumal Foods’ workplaces resulted in one death.
The police claimed that criminal elements hijacked the protest and forced their way into the factory, vandalising vehicles and property worth millions of naira.
According to reports, the unrest began when several casual workers protested the company’s refusal to increase their salary and supply them with palliatives.
The casual staff members claimed that the Federal Government had last year directed the Organised Private Sector to give their workers palliatives but the company failed to heed the directive. This led to protest by the workers who took to the streets around the work area.
The management of the company invited security agents to stop the protest but they were resisted by the angry workers and this led to a confrontation that led to the loss of an individual.
The police spokesman said, ”Preliminary investigation reveals that the protest was premised on a widespread false information authored and peddled by some of the workers concerning the disbursement of palliative to all private-owned companies and firms in the country.
“Their grouse however was that they were being denied the welfare package.”
He noted that normalcy has since returned to the affected area with the immediate deployment of the Command’s operational and tactical assets to prevent any possible future re occurrence.