EndSARS: Lagos Imposes 24-Hours Curfew, Police Deploy Anti-Riot Officers
SANWO-OLU IMPOSES 24-HOUR CURFEW, AS VIOLENCE CREEPS INTO ENDSARS PROTESTS IN LAGOS
•Medical workers, fire fighters, Journalists from registered media houses, emergency workers exempted
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, imposed 24-hour curfew across the State in response to pockets of violence creeping into the protests calling for the end to police brutality.
The curfew, according to the Governor, will take off from 4pm today and it is indefinite. Only workers on essential services are exempted from the restrictive measure.
The Governor’s decision came against the backdrop of reports of bloody violence in some parts of the State. On Monday, some policemen attached to Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were attacked and injured by a group of demonstrators in Ebutte Meta. Also, people were killed and properties destroyed in the violence reported in Ikorodu, Orile Iganmu, Lagos Island and Ikeja as a result of protest.
While announcing the curfew, Sanwo-Olu said he had watched with shock how the EndSARS protests started peacefully and slowly degenerated into a monster threatening the well-being of the residents.
He said miscreants were hiding under the umbrella of the protests to unleash mayhem in Lagos, stressing that some innocent citizens had lost their lives and limbs as criminals foment violence in the State.
Sanwo-Olu said: “I have watched, with shock, how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest has degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society. Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our State.
“As a government that is alive to its responsibility and has shown a commitment to the movement #ENDSARS, we will not watch and allow anarchy in our dear state. Therefore, I hereby impose a 24-hour curfew on all parts of the State as from 4pm today, October 20, 2020. Nobody, except essential service providers and first responders must be found on the streets.”
The Governor asked the security agencies to effect the restrictive order across the State, saying workers on emergency and essential services only should be allowed to move during the curfew period.
Others exempted from the curfew include all security agencies, medical workers, fire fighters, and journalists working with registered media organisations only.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
OCTOBER 20, 2020
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Police Boss Order Deployment ATTACKS ON POLICE FACILITIES, OTHERS – IGP ORDERS DEPLOYMENT OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE OFFICERS
· Charges Officers To Protect Lives And Defend Critical Infrastructure
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered immediate nationwide deployment of anti-riot police unit – the Police Mobile Force (PMF) – to protect lives and property of all Nigerians and secure critical national infrastructure across the country. The IGP has also ordered massive deployment of Police operatives to strengthen security around Correctional facilities nationwide. The orders are coming on the heels of increasing attacks including acts of arson and malicious damage to public and private facilities as recorded in some States of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Consequently, the Commissioners of Police in the thirty-six (36) States of the Federation and the FCT are to identify and isolate law-breakers from peaceful protesters; immediately arrest and diligently prosecute such perpetrators of violence in their respective Commands. The IGP notes that twelve (12) suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks and arson on Police Stations in Benin, Edo State. Five (5) AK47 rifles earlier stolen from vandalized Police Stations have also been recovered.
The Inspector-General of Police calls on members of the public to avail the police with useful information that can lead to the re-arrest of the fleeing inmates, unlawfully released from Correctional facilities. Meanwhile, the IGP has advised parents/guardians to prevail on their children/wards to steer-clear of acts of violence and criminality as the Force will henceforth exercise the full powers of the law to prevent any further attempt on lives and property of citizens.
DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA
