#ENDSARS: Don’t force us to return fire for fire, OPC warns

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The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called for an immediate stop to the destruction of lives and billions of naira worth of property in the South-West, warning that, if the violence persisted, the organisation might be forced to roll out its men and guarantee security.

Lamenting the Lekki Tollgate killings and the subsequent wanton destruction of lives and property, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi (alias “Askari,”) Deputy President to the late Founder, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, said in a statement on Thursday that rioters should withdraw from the streets and end the era of violence.

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OPC also called for President Muhammadu Buhari and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwoolu 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.

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“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,” Afolabi said.

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OPC noted that the peaceful conduct of the #EndSARS protests had been hijacked by hoodlums who now found an opportunity to loot, cause mayhem and destroy the economic basis of the region.

READ ALSO: Lagos sends 23 police officers on trial for murder, brutality, others

“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 said.

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Afolabi issued the statement  after the OPC executives held a meeting at the Century Hotel, in Okota-Isolo area of Lagos, to review events of the last few days.

However, the organisation noted that every agitation must end on the negotiation table and time had come for campaigners to step back and see whether or not the government would fulfil its promise to end SARS and bring about massive reforms in the police.

He said OPC would not tolerate a situation where South-West citizens became the biggest losers of the anti-SARS campaign.

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