The Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, journalists found themselves held hostage on Tuesday while covering the proceedings related to the bail application of Olalekan Oyeyemi, also known as ‘Emir,’ a member of the Osun Park Management System.
Oyeyemi faces a 10-count charge including conspiracy, malicious damage, unlawful killing, and acts of terrorism, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The courtroom drama unfolded as Oyeyemi’s defense counsel, Edmund Biriomoni, withdrew a previous bail application and submitted a new one on March 13, 2024. However, the prosecutor, Rabiu Usman from the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, opposed the bail application, filing a counter application.
During the proceedings, which saw Justice N. Ayo-Emmanuel reserve the ruling on the bail applications for a later date, tension escalated outside the courtroom.
Suspected hoodlums, present in large numbers, targeted journalists who were covering the case. After the judge adjourned the proceedings, the hoodlums identified some of the journalists and threatened them, causing a standoff that lasted for approximately 40 minutes.
Fortunately, police operatives deployed to the court premises intervened, escorting the journalists to safety. The suspected hoodlums, gathered under a nearby tree, were ordered to disperse by a female police operative, restoring order to the scene.
