The Ondo State Police Command says it will not tolerate a repeat of the wanton destruction of government property that accompanied last year’s #EndSARS protests in the state.
DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, spokesperson of the Command, said this in a telephone interview on Monday in Okitipupa.
Odunlami, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, noted that the police had put in place tight security arrangements to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the state.
NAN reports that Okitipupa Local Government Area in Ondo State witnessed the destruction of property on October 22, 2020 as some suspected hoodlums hijacked the protests.
The Okitipupa Oil Palm Company, Police Station, Local Government Secretariat, Court Annex housing the Customary, Magistrates’ and High Courts in Okitipupa were torched by the miscreants.
Odunlami said police personnel would be deployed to all strategic locations within and outside the state to prevent a recurrence of the 2020 vandalism.
She said: “We now have good working relationship with residents of the state at large against any breakdown of law and order and destruction of government property.
“We will deploy our personnel to all areas within and outside the state to ensure the security of lives and property.
“This is because we will not fold our hands and watch any wanton destruction of government property under any guise or any repeat of last year’s EndSARS protest.”
The police spokesperson urged the youths to look for alternative ways of pressing home their demands without resorting to the destruction of government property.
Odunlami, however, urged parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against taking part in any protest to destroy government property.
She said that anyone arrested would be made to face the full weight of the law.
NAN.