30th October, 2020
By Jethro Ibileke
Gift Osayuhi, a boy who was arrested during the #EndSARS protest in Benin, Edo state, says he hopes to become a police officer and eventually rise to the highest office of the Inspector-General of Police in the future.
The 11-year-old was was paraded by the Edo state police command for his alleged involvement in the attack on the Oba Market police station in Benin City.
Gift, who allegedly called himself the new Inspector-General of Police and was wearing a police uniform when he was arrested, was paraded along with 126 others suspects for their various involvement in the wanton looting, arson and other criminality during the protest.
He was, however, released on bail to members of Talakawa Parliament, a Benin-based human rights group.
Leader of the group, Maxist Kola Edokpayi, said they became uncomfortable when the boy was paraded by the police.
He said that the group has assumed “responsibility of rehabilitating and supporting ‘IGP’ with his education so that he can achieve his aim of becoming a policeman.”
Edokpayi disclosed that they have met the mother of the ‘IGP’ who said the boy has been supportive of the family by selling sachet water at Ring Road, in Benin.