The Ogun State Police Command has issued a warning to members of the National Association of Nigerian Students planning to protest the increase in electricity tariff and petrol price.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, issued this warning in a statement on Saturday evening.
According to the statement, the command had received intelligence that some disgruntled elements were bent on disturbing public peace in some parts of the state, starting from next week Monday.
The statement reads: “The Command was in receipt of reliable intelligence that some disgruntled elements were bent on disturbing public peace in parts of Ogun state, starting from Monday 14th September, 2020.
“In the course of identifying the persons involved and warn them against the planned action, a group of individuals who claim to be NANS executives South-West Zone D, led by one Kappo Samuel Olawale, in a letter addressed to the Command has given the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to reverse the recent hike in fuel prices and electricity tariffs, threatening to unleash mayhem in Ogun state after the expiration of the ultimatum on Sunday 13th September 2020.
“It is part of their violence-oriented plans to block all major highways, including the Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Benin expressways, recruit miscreants, street urchins, hoodlums, expelled, suspended and perpetual students over-running their courses at tertiary institutions in Ogun State and other states from the South-West, to swell their ranks and ensure their desired objective of spreading violence in the State beginning from Monday 14th September is achieved.
“The decision by any group of students to embark on protest over recent increase in fuel prices and electricity tariffs is unwarranted and therefore unacceptable to the Ogun State Police Command as it was only on the 8th of September, that is in less than a week now, that NANS executives carried out a protest in Abeokuta over the same issues.
“It was a peaceful and orderly protest carried out in a fixed and secured venue agreed upon in a meeting between the police and the students body. It was never preceded by threat of violence, including arrogance as in giving ultimatum to perpetrate violence. The so-called South-West chapter of NANS led by Olawale would have manifested good intention by joining the protest then.
“Consequently, the deliberate and selfishly designed violence-oriented protest planned for Monday 14th September, 2020, is not approved by the Ogun State Police Command, and will be resisted vehemently. No group will be allowed to perpetually hold the entire good people of Ogun state in perpetual fear of violence and harm to their persons and properties. Olawale and his group are hereby advised in their own interest to drop their plan to block any highway in the state, and thereby cause confusion, disturbances and public apprehension. The law is not on their side on this.
“Officers and men of the command have consequently be put on red alert in view if this unwarranted threat. Members of the public are advised to call the bluff of the group and go about their lawful businesses without fear of harm or molestation by any person, including Olawale and his cohorts. Motorists and all road users alike are also reminded of their right to freedom of movement and self-defence of their persons and properties against molestation and violence by any persons acting under any guise, including miscreants and hoodlums. The police in conjunction with other security agencies have resolved, and have the capacity, to deal with such elements in the most decisive manner.
“Parents and guardians are therefore advised to call their children and wards to order.
“A word is enough for the wise!”
