'Yomi Ayeleso, Author at Tribune Online

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the state beginning from 10 pm, on Tuesday, following the hijack of the #EndSars protests in the state. The governor in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Tuesday, noted that the protests which started peacefully by youths had been hijacked by hoodlums to perpetrate illicit acts such as extortion of motorists, raping, arson and robberies across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state. According to the governor, "The hoodlums have capitalised on the #EndSARS protest to rape, assault, rob and extort innocent citizens across the State. These are in addition to the wanton destruction of properties, particularly private properties. "Government is concerned that if this state of affairs is allowed to continue unabated, it will lead to a breakdown of law and order thereby threatening the wellbeing of the people of Ekiti State. "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 protesters. It cannot be logical to seek to remedy impunity with impunity. "Government, therefore, cannot afford to watch a deliberate enthronement of anarchy by some bad elements who have hijacked the protest for some clandestine reasons. "Consequently, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew on all parts of the State starting from 10.00 pm tonight, Tuesday, October 20, 2020." According to the statement, only essential workers with valid means of identification would be allowed to move during the period of the curfew. ALSO READ: 24 hours curfew: Arik Air cancels Wednesday flights The SSG added that anyone found violating the directives would be arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the state, calling on residents to show more understanding, "as the government take deliberate steps towards ensuring that peace and normalcy return to our state." Meanwhile, three #EndSars protesters were gang-raped by hoodlums at the popular Fajuyi park during the protest on Sunday night. The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda who confirmed the development frowned at the rape of the saying, "rape and robbery cannot be the values of EndSARS protesters." Fapohunda who spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday while receiving mothers of the three girls who were gang-raped said it was regrettable that the legitimate protests against impunity by SARS has now been hijacked by undesirable elements who rape, assault and rob innocent citizens. He further said, "it is becoming obvious that the Government cannot continue to allow the good people of Ekiti State to suffer in this manner. It may now be necessary to alert all those participating in the protests, specifically girls and women to note that there exist hoodlums in their midst whose agenda is to rape and rob." Fapohunda, however, advised the women to immediately take the assaulted girls to the Ekiti State Sexual Assault Referral Centre- the Moremi Clinic located in the Ekiti State teaching hospital for a medical check-up. The mother of one of the girls (name withheld) who spoke on behalf of the other two mothers told the Attorney-General that their daughters joined the protests out of the conviction of the cause and said they had severally appealed to the girls to be careful. She said they had decided to come to see the Attorney-General first rather than the police because of the campaign by the Attorney-General against sexual violence in the State. She lamented that they were horrified that their daughters would be raped by those who are fighting the same cause, urging the Attorney-General to ensure that the rapists were apprehended and prosecuted. NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

'Yomi Ayeleso

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