Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde said the state has deployed Operation Force to the hot spots, especially Ogbomoso, to ensure peace and protection of the lives of the people of the state.
The governor said security agencies in the state have also agreed that the police should take the back seat as the state works towards ensuring peace.
In a broadcast on Monday, the governor disclosed that he had held an emergency meeting with heads of all security agencies in the state and they had agreed that the police should take the back seat while other security agencies take the front-line in ensuring peace in the ongoing protests in the state.
According to him, peaceful protests are individual rights and protesters should not be harmed for engaging in protests.
He said, “As I stated clearly in my earlier statement, peaceful protests are a legitimate way for citizens to make their grievances known to the government, and it is totally unacceptable for anyone to be hurt during such protests.”
Urging the protesters to protest peacefully, the governor said it was a “trying time for all of us.”
He said the past few days have been days of grief, pain and frustration due to deaths and injuries sustained by protesters in the state. The governor added that he could not imagine the pains and frustration of people that lost their loved ones or being hospitalised as a result of police brutality.
He emphasised that peaceful protest is legitimate. He said, “ I held emergency meeting with security in Oyo State last night and we have all agreed that the police should take the back seat while other security agencies take the front line.
As I stated clearly in my earlier statement, peaceful protests are a legitimate way for citizens to make their grievances known to the government, and it is totally unacceptable for anyone to be hurt during such protests. pic.twitter.com/lgYPwaKLLl
— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) October 12, 2020