Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun has appealed to the people of the state to exercise restraints in the course of protesting against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), saying that government is already responding to their outcry.
Oyetola, in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, on Saturday in Osogbo, urged the residents not to take laws into their hands.
The governor said that people should be mindful of the fact that Osun was a peaceful state and that President Muhammadu Buhari had given directives to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to wade into the SARS matter immediately.
“We appeal for calm and urge our citizens to continue to uphold the peaceful profile of the state by not taking laws into their hands.
“Let us not be tempted to attack public property and facilities, which took government and taxpayers many years of sacrifice and struggles to build.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has given directives to the Inspector-General of Police to bring to justice officers who might have been found culpable of infringing on the rights of citizens.
“We believe that the Nigerian Police Force has taken note of our agitations, and that the IGP will call his men to order, where necessary,” he said.
Oyetola reminded the resident of the patriotism of the vast majority of police officers in the country, who, he said, had been committed to protecting the lives and property of Nigerians over the years.
According to him, a lot of them have died in the course of discharging their duties.
“Let us, therefore, not take our anger against a reckless few on the entire police force that is working day and night to ensure our safety.
“Our citizens can count on the efforts of the state government to continue to do everything possible to protect citizens from actual and potential threats.
“Let us not destroy our collective heritage, while trying to right the wrongs of others. Two wrongs don’t make a right”, Oyetola said.
Residents of the state had joined the ongoing protests in some parts of the country against SARS over alleged infringement on the rights of Nigerians by its personnel.
