Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has shielded #EndSARS protesters from Saturdays’ attack on his life pinning the charge which he said was deliberate and pre-planned on political thugs. According to the governor, the #EndSARS protests which began peacefully had been hijacked.
ARISE News had reported how two people were killed and several others sustained varying degrees of injuries after violence broke out at an #EndSARS protest ground in the Nigeria’s south-western state, Osun.
“Political thugs hijacked the exercise and hurled stones and dangerous weapons at us and vandalised several cars in my convoy,” the governor said in a state broadcast.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the commando-style with which the assailants carried out their attack leaves no one in doubt that it was deliberate and pre-planned,” Oyetola said. He clarified that they were not genuine protesters.
According to the governor, “the protesters had engaged in a peaceful demonstration for the first two days before it was later hijacked in the last five days. In fact, we had cause to raise the alarm last Wednesday to the effect that the protest had been hijacked.
“Again, earlier yesterday, our party did raise another alarm that identified political thugs were seen brandishing dangerous weapons while following the protesters.
“It is unfortunate that yesterday’s protest which started peacefully was allowed to degenerate into a dangerous enterprise and a huge danger to the lives and properties of the people that we are called out to protect. This is unacceptable,” Oyetola stated in the broadcast
The governor noted that he had directed the commencement of a proper investigation into the events that led to the attack. He said his administration will this week set up a judicial panel enquiry in line with the directive of the country’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to investigate all related cases of abuse and brutality by the disbanded SARS.
“By this week, we shall be setting up a Judicial Panel of Enquiry in line with the directive of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to investigate all related cases of abuse and brutality by the disbanded SARS. This panel will also be investigating yesterday’s attack.
“Rest assured that we are on top of the situation. We shall fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act and bring them to justice. We shall not condone any act that will compromise the lives of our people and the hard-won ranking of our State as the most peaceful state in Nigeria,” the governor said.
By Abel Ejikeme
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