By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has raised the alarm over the infiltration of the #EndSARS protesters by known political thugs who are sympathetic to the cause of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
This was contained in a statement on Saturday by the Party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy in the state, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi who noted that two of the known thugs, who were said to have been ferried in from Ede, a neighbouring town to Osogbo, the state capital, were identified.
They were seen brandishing long guns and even shooting sporadically into the air during one of the protests on Friday.
The State Government, through the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Prince Wole Oyebamiji, had last Wednesday expressed worries over the hijack of the protests by hoodlums and miscreants, who harassed and intimidated members of the public and held workers hostage at the State Secretariat, Abere, while also shooting sporadically into the air.
Oyatomi noted that, now that it had been clearly established that the protests in the State had been hijacked for ulterior and political motives, security agencies should, as a matter of necessity and urgency, take charge to avoid any break down of law and order.
“A situation where known political thugs, who have sympathy for a political party join protesters to intimidate and harass members of the public while shooting sporadically into the air is dangerous and unacceptable.
“Therefore, security operatives should consider taking charge so that our beloved State can continue to guard jealously its enviable status of being the most peaceful State in the Nigeria.
“A protest where known sympathisers of political party build and carry Mr. President’s coffin, destroying government properties and the bill boards of our governor has gone beyond #EndSARS.
“Now is the time for security operatives to act and with all sense of civility and democratic tenets. And it must be done fast,” Oyatomi added.
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