The new Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Frank Mba on Monday reportedly warned that the Police will not fold its hands and allow any criminal elements hide under whatever guise to disrupt the peace of the state.
Mba, according to statement from the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi issued this warning over the weekend during confidence-building patrol conducted by the police and other security forces in the state.
The exercise was said to have been targeted at assuring residents of the resolve of the security agencies to protect lives and property, prevent breakdown of law and order, and improve public safety and security especially with the presidential election in about a week away.
The CP was said to have disclosed that intelligence at the disposal of the state command indicated that some criminal elements were planning to take advantage of the challenging economic situation of naira and fuel scarcity to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the State.
He has therefore warned that the Police, will not fold its arms and allow persons with criminal intentions, to hide under any guise whatsoever, to unleash mayhem on residents, private and public property, and critical national infrastructure, including banks and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The CP assured that necessary security architecture had been been put in place to protect the peace loving people of the State while the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), have been directed to arrest and bring to book, any person or group wanting to foment trouble and cause breach of peace in the State.
To this end, the CP, while empathising with residents, enjoined all parents and guardians, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), political and religious leaders, amongst other critical stakeholders, to prevail on their children, wards and followers, not to resort to violence, as all necessary actions are being taken to further ease the pains of the people in this regard.
Mba, however reportedly commended the residents of the State for their resilience and peaceful conduct so far in the face of the biting challenges, resulting from the new naira policy and paucity of fuel supply urging them to remain law abiding as the authority is working to resolve the challenges.
Unfortunately, some residents of the state refused to heed the police warning as they trooped to the street of Sagamu yesterday vandalising anything in sight.
The protesters mainly youth under the cover of protesting the naira scarcity had set two commercial banks ablaze, destroyed properties in Sagamu local government Secretariat as well in other banks among other offices.
It will be recalled that similar incident had happened last week in Ibadan when some banks were vandalised. The protests had even led to loss of lives in some parts of the country.
While it is quite understandable that we are truly in a hard time as many people could not access their cash in the banks to sort out their daily needs but the solution to the current situation could not have been violence and destruction of public properties. In fact, this mindless act would rather aggravate the problems as many of these banks could decide to shut down operations until God knows when.
We should also bear it in mind the presidential election about five days away which must be held under a very peaceful atmosphere.
We shall therefore be doing ourselves a great deal of harm and of course worsening already bad situation by destroying what some have laboured to build for years and if such properties belong to the government, we are only squandering the common wealth and resources that should be deployed to serve us better.
No conflict has ever been resolved with violence. It is against this background that we call on every resident of the country to exercise restraint as the appropriate quarters are working behind the scene to ease their pains.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will be doing the country a great deal of good by making available the N200 notes which President Muammadu Buhari had said now remain legal tender till April 10. The apex bank should also ensure that banks are supplied with the new naira notes and are loaded into the ATMs for people to make withdrawal.
The security agencies should also remain vigilant, adhere to the rules of engagement and ensure that no life is lost while trying to restore law and order.