Police releases 11-year-old boy arrested for alleged involvement in Edo station attack

Police in Edo State on Friday released an 11-year-old boy, Gift Osayuhi, who was arrested last week over his alleged involvement in the attack on a police station in the state.

Gift was arrested for allegedly joining the gang of hoodlums that attacked the Oba Market police station at Evbuotubu area of Benin City.

After the attack, the boy reportedly worn the uniform of a police sergeant and declared himself the Inspector-General of Police.

A human rights advocate, Kola Edokpayi, confirmed the teenager’s release from police custody on his social media platform on Friday night.

He thanked the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, and the state’s Ministry of Justice for their understanding and cooperation.

He said the boy’s dream is to become the country’s IGP.

READ ALSO: Police arrests 10 escaped inmates, 116 others for looting, vandalism in Edo

Edokpayi wrote: “We have been able to secure the unconditional release of the 11- year- old boy by name Gift Osayuhi whose picture went viral on social media yesterday (Thursday) for allegedly joining some miscreants to break into Oba Market Police station, took their police uniform, wore it and declared himself as the new IG of Police during the #ENDSARS protest.

“The boy was released to us after we undertook to rehabilitate and reform him.

“The young boy said his dream is to become the IG of Police and we also undertook to ensure the boy is giving a proper education so as to help him achieve his dream. We sincerely thank the Edo State Commissioner of Police and Edo State Ministry of Justice for the kind understanding and cooperation.

“We also met with his mother who told us that she is a widow who takes care of the children alone and the little boy usually assist her to sell water and drinks in Ring Road.”

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