Akeredolu closes schools as #EndSARS protesters disrupt activities in Ondo

Following the #EndSARS protests that crippled the socio-economic activities of Ondo state, the State governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu has ordered the immediate closure of all schools in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Femi Agagu, who said the closure was coming on the heels of the continued #EndSARS protests in the state.

Agagu stated that parents and the public are to note the directive and all schools are to comply immediately.

Agagu said in the statement that “Mr Governor has directed that all schools that resumed on Monday 19th October 2020 are closed for the meantime from tomorrow 21st October 2020 because of the engulfing nationwide protest and the need to ensure safety of our students and staff.

“Any inconvenience is regretted, while the State Government would ensure resumption of our schools as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of youths in the state identifying with the #EndSARS protest mobilized themselves to major junctions and streets in Akure and other towns in the state on Tuesday demanding an end to police brutalisation.

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Most residents who left their homes to source for their daily livelihood were caught in the sent back home by the protesters who blocked all roads, forcing motorists to trek long distances while others had to turn back to their home.

Some of the areas barricaded by the protesters within the state capital are Fiwasaye/Iyeoma junction, First Bank roundabout, Adegbola Junction as well as Ilesha Garage – Road Block axis among others.

Similar situations were experienced in Ondo, Ore, and some other towns within the state, while protesters were said to have blocked the ever-busy Lagos-Ore-Benin highway.

At some of the junctions blocked by the protesters, the youths were seen dancing to various tunes as they also cook on the road while others played football on the roads.

Speaking, a commercial driver who identified himself as Muritala lamented that the protest had been affecting business in recent time and could get out of hand if the government failed to attend to the needs of the protesters.

He appealed to the protesting youths to find ways of not allowing their agitations to affect the source of livelihood of common man on the street.

However, one of the coordinators of the protest, Babatunde Ahmed, said the protest would continue as long as government keep quiet without doing the needful.

_{NIGERIAN TRIBUNE}