The Edo State Police Command has released an 11-year-old boy, Gift Osayuhi, who was arrested over his alleged involvement in the attack on a police station in the state.
The police had last week arrested Osayuhi for allegedly joining thugs, who attacked Oba Market Police Station at Evbuotubu area of Benin City.
After the attack, he was said to have worn the uniform of a police sergeant and declared himself the Inspector-General of Police.
Securing his release from police custody, Coordinator of a Benin-based human rights group, Talakawa Parliament, Kola Edokpayi, said they became uncomfortable when the police paraded the boy.
According to Edokpayi, Osayuhi’s dream was to become a police officer and eventually rise to the highest office of the Inspector-General of Police in the future.
“We have been able to secure the unconditional release of the 11-year-old boy named Gift Osayuhi whose picture went viral on social media yesterday for allegedly joining some miscreants to break into Oba Market Police Station, took 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 rehabilitating and reforming him. The young boy said his dream was to become the IG of Police and we also undertook to ensure that the boy was given 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 was a widow who took care of the children alone and the little boy usually assisted her to sell water and drinks at Ring Road,” the human rights activist said.
