Ondo state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has imposed 24 hour curfew in Ondo state starting from midnight on Tuesday.
The governor said in a broadcast that his administration has the obligation to protect all citizens including the youths. It will not shirk its responsibility in this regard.
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“I direct that there should be a curfew for 24 hours starting from 12midnight today till further notice.
“All parents and guardians are advised to ensure that their wards are kept in their homes.
“All bars, banks, shops, petrol stations, shopping malls, markets, motor parks and all public spaces are to comply with this directive forthwith except those on essentials services will be permitted to be on the road. Security agencies have been directed to ensure compliance.
“I admonish all citizens and residents of our great State to discourage violence and disturbance of peace throughout the State. I enjoin the security agencies to stand firm in the defence of the people.
Governor Akeredolu also said that reports on few instances of skirmishes in some isolated and remote places, the general conduct commends itself as a model of civility which proved all projections towards anarchy as misplaced.
“Our people are never found wanting in all matters pertaining to the fight for social justice. We hold the record as an exemplary ambience which considers no sacrifice too great in support of equity and justice. I feel proud to share the same ancestry with the great people of this State.
” The Government is not unmindful of the current frustration. We empathise with our youths for the untoward experiences, the focus of this unrest. We offer our unreserved apologies for the seeming lapses which have contributed, largely, to the current misunderstanding. It is our fervent hope that the State will come out stronger from this experience.
“Recall that I have had to express my solidarity with the youths of this country and our State on this major challenge. I thank the leaders of the youth parliament, all youth organisations and opinion leaders for their understanding. I use this medium to appeal to our youths to exercise restraint in ventilating their grievances.
” I must warn our citizens to be wary of infiltrators who may wish to take advantage of the crisis to cause confusion in the polity.
“The Federal Government’s initial response has not only been the immediate ban of the vexatious Police Unit, SARS, it has also set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to deal with clear cases of infractions and abuse of the constitutional rights of citizens who have not violated any known law of the land. The panel has the mandate to recommend remedial measures and advise on related issues to ensure peace which is necessary for growth and development.
The Ondo State Government has moved with speed to commence the implementation of part of these decisions which fall within the purview of its mandate. Earlier today, I inaugurated an 8-man Judicial Panel of Inquiry headed by Hon. Justice Salisu Adesola Sidiq (Rtd). The Panel has other eminent and resourceful citizens, whose enviable pedigrees give assurance of the receipt of a comprehensive and useful report when the job is done.”
