AT least one #ENDSARS protester has been confirmed killed by security details attached to a yet to be identified convoy in Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State Tuesday evening.
An eyewitness who identified the victim as Tunde told The ICIR that the security details attached to the convoy indiscriminately opened fire on the protesters who had blocked the road connecting Oye to Kogi and Abuja since Monday in solidarity with the ongoing #ENDSARS protesters in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State, has imposed a 24-hour curfew in the state after the #ENDSARS protest turned violent in the last two days in the state.
Biodun Oyebanji, Secretary to the State Government, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.
“The Ekiti State Government has observed with growing concern, how the EndSARS protest, which started as a peaceful protest against police brutality by youths in the state, has been hijacked by hoodlums who capitalised on the situation to rape, assault, rob and extort money from innocent citizens across the State,” Oyebanji said.
“In the past 48 hours, there have been incidents of gang-rape, robberies, physical assaults on innocent people, looting and burning of a police station.
“These acts of brigandage are not in consonance with the legitimate aspirations of the EndSARS protesters. It cannot be logical to seek to remedy impunity with impunity.”
He stated that “Government, therefore, cannot afford to watch a deliberate enthronement of anarchy by some bad elements who have hijacked the protest for some clandestine reasons.”
“These are in addition to the wanton destruction of properties, particularly private properties.”
Oyebanji said Government was concerned not to allow the situation to continue, noting that it would lead to a breakdown of law and order.
“For the purpose of clarity, Government continues to show understanding and responsiveness to the demands of the legitimate protesters,” he said.
“Government has also at various times drawn the attention of the protesters to a possible hijack of the protests by individuals whose only interest is to inflict violence on the people of the state.
Oyebanji further said that during the curfew, starting from 10.00 pm on Tuesday, October 20, only workers on essential duties and service providers with valid means of identifications are allowed to move around.
He warned that any person found on the street, not belonging to this category of exempted groups, would be promptly arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of Ekiti State.
“We seek the understanding of the good people of Ekiti State as we continue to take deliberate steps towards ensuring that peace and normalcy return to our state,” he added.
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