#EndSARS Protest: OPC Warns Rampaging Hoodlums, Stop Now Or…
BY EDMOND ODOK – Angered by the senseless loss of lives as well as massive destruction of public and private property in Lagos State and the South West geo-political zone, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called for an immediate cessation of the unwarranted hostilities by suspected hoodlums.
It therefore warned that continuation of the violence will force its members to roll their arsenal to guarantee the security of lives and property.
Condemning the killings of innocent citizens with property worth billions of Naira destroyed in the region, OPC called on suspected hoodlums and rioters, who hijacked the #EndSARS protests, to stay clear of the streets and allow peace to reign in the South West.
The organization cautioned that it will not tolerate a situation where South-West; its enterprising citizens and residents eventually become the biggest losers and casualties of the anti-SARS campaign.
A statement issued on Friday by Otumba Wasiu Afolabi, Deputy President to the late Founder of OPC, Dr Frederick Fasehun, regretted that a peaceful protest by the #EndSARS campaigners was unfortunately taken over by hooligans who resorted to looting, causing mayhem and destroying the zone’s economic base
Otumba Afolabi, popularly called ‘Askari’, issued the warning after the OPC executives met Lagos to review events of the last few days that culminated in the wanton destruction and killings in the South West and across the country
The statement, which totally condemned the Lekki Tollgate shootings, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately empanel commissions of enquiry at both the Federal and state levels to investigate, identify and sanction those behind Tuesday’s shooting of unarmed protesters at Lekki in Lagos.
According to the OPC, “Such a heinous crime must not be swept under the carpet; or else we shall be nurturing a licence-to-kill mentality in our military men and security operatives as well as open up our civilian citizenry to the abuse and impunity of those supposed to protect us.”
The statement further said; “Private businesses, many of whom like OPC backed the highly credible #EndSARS campaign, should not suffer for the ineptitude of the government and the criminality of evil policemen.
“And OPC, as an organisation, will not fold its arms and watch the region turned into the scapegoat of the #EndSARS protests.”
The OPC Deputy President however maintained that every agitation must always end on the negotiation table, stressing that the time has come for the #EndSARS campaigners to step back and see if the government is sincere in its disbandment of SARS as well as promise of massive reforms in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“The #EndSARS campaigns got our unflinching support and we fully backed the protesters. Not only is it a legitimate and constitutionally-guaranteed right to express our collective pain, but indeed and in fact that arm of the Nigeria Police had turned itself into an unruly terrorist clique with clear and verifiable abuses of citizens’ rights to life, movement and liberty.
“As citizens, those protesting had a duty to denounce SARS and FSARS operatives in order to prevent them from continuing their evil business as usual”, the statement said
The OPC Chieftain said the reality on ground is that the businesses and tools of businesses destroyed represent a huge loss to the South-West people, many of them owners of the vandalised businesses as well as others hitherto gainfully employed in those places.
The OPC also used the medium to commiserate with those who lost dear ones, relations, friends and property in the mayhem, even as it prayed that God would comfort them and restore their losses in the nearest future.
