The Oyo State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the violent unrest that rocked the Ojoo community in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state, leaving several people dead and many others injured.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the command said the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, where a comprehensive investigation is ongoing.

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According to the police, investigators are working to uncover the circumstances surrounding the alleged attempted robbery, the mob action that followed, the public disturbance and every other criminal act linked to the incident.

The command strongly condemned jungle justice, warning residents against taking the law into their own hands. It stressed that anyone suspected of committing a crime should be handed over to law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and prosecution.

Police also appealed to residents to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, urging community leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders not to allow criminal elements exploit the incident to trigger ethnic or communal violence.

The command assured the public that adequate security has been deployed across Ojoo and other strategic locations in Ibadan to prevent any further breakdown of law and order, while promising that everyone found culpable would face prosecution.

The unrest reportedly began after a commercial tricycle rider was allegedly attacked during a dispute over a failed Point-of-Sale (POS) transaction caused by network issues. Eyewitnesses said the rider had withdrawn cash but the payment could not be confirmed immediately due to poor network service.

Despite reportedly handing over his tricycle keys and mobile phone as assurance that he would not flee, the rider was allegedly assaulted and stabbed.

He later died in hospital, triggering protests and violent clashes involving sympathisers and other groups.

The violence, which spread from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, reportedly claimed about four lives, injured several others and forced traders around the popular Ojoo Motor Park to shut down their businesses.

During an assessment visit on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal described those behind the unrest as criminals, insisting that criminality has no ethnic identity.

He appealed to residents, especially youths, to embrace peace and allow security agencies to restore order, assuring them that everyone involved in the violence would be identified and prosecuted regardless of ethnic background.

Lawal also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to conducting a thorough investigation into both the immediate and remote causes of the crisis to ensure justice for victims and prevent a recurrence.

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communications, has said many Nigerians who relocated abroad in search of better opportunities are now trapped in what he described as “modern-day slavery,” despite earning salaries in foreign currencies.

Speaking during an interview on The Morayo Show, Bwala argued that the popular belief that relocating overseas automatically guarantees a better life does not reflect the reality faced by many Nigerians, particularly those living in the United Kingdom.

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According to him, many Nigerian graduates who left the country under the popular “Japa” trend now work in care homes, warehouses and other jobs unrelated to their university qualifications.

Bwala said that although many of them earn between £2,600 and £2,800 monthly, the high cost of living abroad leaves them with little money after paying rent, transportation, utility bills, internet services and feeding expenses.

“As far as I am concerned, it is modern-day slavery,” he said.

The presidential aide explained that the financial burden often compels many migrants to take up two or three jobs just to make ends meet.

He further argued that some Nigerians earning modest incomes at home may enjoy a better quality of life than their counterparts abroad because of stronger family and community support systems.

“Some of you in Nigeria who think you are suffering are better off than your colleagues that japa five years ago,” Bwala said.

He added that someone earning ₦60,000 monthly in Nigeria could still receive financial or emotional support from relatives and friends during difficult times, unlike many Nigerians abroad who have no immediate support network.

Bwala’s comments come amid continued debate over the increasing wave of migration by young Nigerians seeking better economic opportunities overseas.

While many continue to pursue the “Japa” dream, his remarks have reignited discussions over the financial and emotional realities of life abroad.

His comments are expected to generate mixed reactions, with supporters agreeing that the rising cost of living in many developed countries has reduced disposable income, while critics may argue that migration still offers long-term opportunities unavailable in Nigeria.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has disclosed that the United States, Europe and countries in the Middle East are increasingly seeking Nigerian crude oil, but the country does not yet have sufficient production to meet the growing international demand.

Lokpobiri vented this on Wednesday in Abuja at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week, adding that Nigeria’s improving oil output has renewed global interest in its crude.

The situation is compounded because of growing complaints from local refiners that they are not getting enough domestic feedstock for their plants.

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According to Lokpobiri, “The pressure is even more on me because of what has happened in the Gulf region.”

He pointed out that there is increasing demand for Nigerian crude from across the world. “I receive delegations from across the world, from the USA, from Europe, and from the Middle East. Everybody comes to me because they want to do business with Nigeria. They want to buy Nigerian oil. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough to sell to them,” Lokpobiri said.

He, however, assured prospective buyers that the Federal Government was implementing policies aimed at significantly increasing crude production over the next few years.

“But I promise them that in the next few years, Nigeria will be able to increase our production through the ambitious programmes we are pursuing, and we will be able to meet some of those obligations to those countries,” he added.

The minister disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil production, including condensate, has risen above 1.8 million barrels per day, compared to about one million barrels per day when the current administration assumed office in 2023.

He cited the latest weekly production report submitted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), as indicating that the country is now producing more than 1.8 million barrels daily.

“When I became minister in 2023, the president told me it was unacceptable for Nigeria to be producing one million barrels per day. I made a commitment that we would remove the bottlenecks and work together as a team to change the story. Today, the latest report from NUPRC shows we are doing over 1.8 million barrels per day, inclusive of condensate,” he said.

Despite the improvement, Lokpobiri insisted that the current output remains inadequate, maintaining that Nigeria has the capacity to return to its previous production peak of 2.5 million barrels per day.

“I’ve also told them that 1.8 million barrels is not enough. We’ve done 2.5 million barrels in this country before, so we can do it again. What we need is to work together under the right circumstances,” he stated.

The minister attributed the production recovery to renewed investment in the upstream sector, revealing that the number of active drilling rigs has increased from about 14 in 2023 to more than 60. “That is what will guarantee future growth in the industry. This is where the new barrels will come from,” he said.

Lokpobiri also credited President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the divestment of onshore assets by international oil companies for boosting indigenous participation in the sector.

He disclosed that indigenous operators, including Renaissance Africa Energy, Seplat Energy and Oando, now account for more than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s daily crude production following their acquisitions of assets previously owned by Shell, ExxonMobil and ENI.

“Today, the independents account for over 60 per cent of our daily production of 1.8 million barrels per day. They are just starting. This is only the beginning of what patriotic Nigerian companies can do,” he said.

According to him, the divestments have also enabled the international oil companies to concentrate on deepwater operations, where they possess stronger technical expertise, while opening fresh opportunities to grow Nigeria’s reserves and production.

Lokpobiri also disclosed that Renaissance had recorded a significant offshore oil discovery in OML 74 following an aggressive exploration campaign, describing the development as further evidence that sustained exploration would help Nigeria unlock additional reserves and strengthen future production.