1) We won’t allow hoodlums destroy our state – Okowa
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Saturday warned that hoodlums hiding under the guise of #ENDSARS protest to perpetuate arson and destruction of public and private assets in the state would contend with the law.
He gave the warning while inspecting buildings and other structures torched Wednesday night in Asaba by hoodlums pretending to be members of #ENDSARS protesters.
Places visited by the governor were Koka Modern Leisure Park, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) office, both on Asaba-Benin Expressway and the High Court Complex on Ibusa road, Asaba.
He said that he was in support of the reforms in the country being championed by the #ENDSARS peaceful protesters, and condemned the act of the hoodlums who hijacked the peaceful protest to loot, maim, kill and cause unrest in the state.
The governor called on residents of the state to be vigilant and also synergize with security operatives and the government in fashioning out ways to arrest and prosecute those behind the dastardly act.
“Unfortunately it appears some people are not quite happy with the beautification we have done here and they decided to vent their anger and criminality on the gardens; they destroyed everything, cut down trees just to deface the city.
“It’s very unfortunate and you can see that a lot of damage has been done to the High Court that was set on fire.
“We also visited the FRSC Office and you saw the level of destruction there as well as the beautiful garden we put up at the Ibusa junction that was also destroyed.
“It appears that some people are not quite happy with the beatification and the level of development in Asaba, but it’s very unfortunate.
“I know that is not the intention of those who started the protest but the criminal elements among us have come in and tried to perpetrate this level of arson and violence.
“It’s obviously unacceptable, and our people must generally condemn it and I believe that even our youths, themselves, are quite unhappy with this.
“I urge our youths to stay vigilant because we cannot allow miscreants and criminals to destroy our collective will to develop this place,’’ he said.
2) Ilorin Looting: Kwara Police Command has begun arrest of hoodlums — CP Kayode Egbetokun
Kwara State Police Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun has said that a large number of arrests of looters of Shoprite, other big shops in Ilorin, and government installations have been made, stressing that the arrest was ongoing.
The state Commisssioner of police, made the disclosure while addressing a joint press briefing alongside other service commanders at the police Headquarters in Ilorin on Saturday.
Since the police arrest of the hoodlum’s looters began, sanity has returned to Ilorin as residents stayed indoors to observe the imposed curfew.
A patrol team of Anti-riot police officers was stationed in strategic parts of the state capital, such as the Post office, Challenge, Zango areas, and GRA among others to restore sanity while the arrest was being carried out.
Egbetokun who refused to disclose the no of arrest for tactical reasons said all the “criminal elements” arrested for looting public properties as well as disposesing innocent citizens of their valuables will be made to face the consequences of their actions.
He also clarified that the hoodlums were not among the #ENDSARS protesters who had been on the streets before now.
He said,” the police have arrested some of the hoodlums and, efforts are on to arrest the runaway criminals. I will not disclose the no of arrest for tactical reasons. The arrest is ongoing, and we will make all of them face the full wrath of the law.
He said the command had after receiving an intelligent report on the planned attack by the hoodlum’s drafted men of the force to strategic locations to prevent the happenings.
Egbetokun explained,” the hoodlums who are not part of those who took part in the peaceful #ENDSARS” protest stormed the Cargo terminal at the Ilorin Internation Airport in their thousands where some Palliative food items were kept and emptied it.”
3) #EndSARS: Hundreds protest in London against Nigeria’s police brutality
Around 500 demonstrators took to the streets of London on Saturday in support of youths’ #EndSARS protests in Nigeria that have spiralled into widespread unrest.
President Muhammadu Buhari was the focus of the anger for his handling of anti-police brutality protests against the loathed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Black-clad demonstrators, mostly part of Britain’s large Nigerian diaspora, held signs reading “End Sars, end police brutality” and sang “Buhari is a dead man” as they made their way through the streets of the capital.
Others waved Nigerian flags, with some splashed with red paint to make them look bloodstained, while some wore green and white masks and shouted through loudspeakers as they protested at London landmarks, including Parliament Square and the BBC.
Buhari scrapped the feared police unit and pledged reforms, but the demands from the young protesters broadened to calls for more sweeping change.
Police shootings of unarmed demonstrators sparked international condemnation and unleashed chaos in Africa’s biggest city of Lagos.
Shops lifted their shutters and market traders set out their stalls Saturday, as the city cautiously reopened after a curfew was eased following days of unrest.
Police stations were burnt, supermarkets looted and vehicles destroyed as violence flared across the economic hub of 20 million, with officials accusing “hoodlums” of taking advantage of the mayhem.
4)Hoodlums parade Ogun communities in search of COVID-19 palliatives
Some hoodlums, mostly youths, on Saturday besieged Magboro Communities in Ogun in search of warehouses that might be storing COVID-19 palliatives.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the youths had trooped to Magboro communities on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway as early as 7a.m., moving from house-to-house in search of COVID-19 palliatives.
NAN reports that there has been unrestricted looting of warehouses that housed the relief items across the country in the past days by rampaging youths.
One of the youths, who simply identified himself as Wasiu, said the group got a hint that the palliatives were stored in the area, hence they were there to take them away.
The youths, who had unrestrained access, forced their way into every house looking for COVID-19 palliatives that might have been stored in homes.
The terrified residents had hectic time in convincing the hoodlums that there were no COVID-19 palliatives in their houses.
The youths also threatened to break down fences or gates of houses that denied them access to their compounds.
The Chairman of Magboro Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr John Onoja, was manhandled by the hoodlums on the suspicion that he was using his phone to record them.
A resident, Mrs Grace Koleosho, said that the hoodlums searched every corner of her house, including her kitchen, before they departed.
“It was a terrifying scene here as the hoodlums insisted on searching everywhere, including my kitchen, looking for what does not exist.
“My fear is that I suspect something strange if they won’t come back for us later, having known the terrain of this area,”she said.
5) JUST IN: 7 arrested over invasion of Sen. Folarin’s house
No fewer than seven persons have been arrested in connection with the invasion of Sen. Teslim Folarin’s house in Ibadan on Saturday.
Mr Yinka Folarin, the lawmaker’s elder brother, told newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that some hoodlums had on Saturday invaded Folarin’s house, carting away items worth more than N200 million.
NAN reports that among the items carted away are about 300 motorcycles, deep freezers and food items.
He said that the suspected hoodlums were arrested at the residence of the lawmaker by the Oyo State joint security task force ‘Operation Burst’.
“Most of the equipment had been looted before the arrival of the security men, while seven of the them, identified by the residents, were arrested at the scene,” he said.
