#EndSARS: Orgy of violence continues in Benin as hoodlums infiltrate protesters

FILE PHOTO

The orgy of violence which rocked the #EndSARS protest in Benin, Edo State capital, on Monday, continued on Tuesday, as hoodlums highjacked the protest from the genuine organisers and unleashed a reign of terror on the state.

Tribune Online gathered that the hoodlums, early on Tuesday, attacked the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) post at Ekiadolor and set the place and vehicles within the premises on fire.

Another set of hoodlums operating along the Aduwawa axis of Benin metropolis also stormed the Customs office located at Aduwawa Estate and set it ablaze.

The storehouse of the facility, where confiscated contrabands are stored was equally attacked by the hoodlums, who looted the bags of rice in the store.

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Downtown Sapele Road, a group of street urchins, operating as #EndSARS protesters, reportedly attacked a police patrol van and engaged the armed police personnel at the popular Santana Market, along Sapele Road.

Two of the daring hoodlums were reportedly shot dead, while a host of others sustained injuries.

In one of the videos of the attacks that have since gone viral, a victim of the Santana Market encounter with the police was seen being taken to the Benin Central Hospital.

Interestingly, the ugly incidents happened in spite of the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state by Governor Godwin Obaseki, following the bloodletting and vicious attack on two Correctional Centres (prisons) in Benin on Monday, when some hoodlums broke two jail houses and set inmates free.

The protesting youths and the infiltrating hoodlums observed the curfew in the breach as burn fire dotted many spots of Benin metropolis, just as the protesters equally blocked the Auchi-Okene expressway by Jattu Junction, Auchi.

Besides the prison breaks, five police stations at Oba Market, Dumez, Ugbekun, Idogbo and Ogida, were razed by the hoodlums, who carted away arms and ammunition from the police stations.

The Federal Ministry of Interior had earlier on Tuesday put the figure of inmates who escaped from the two correctional centres in Benin at 1, 993.

A source at one of the prisons, located at Oko, who pleaded anonymity, said that of the figure, 208 of the escaped inmates were condemned convicts awaiting execution.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Bioluwatife Akinyemi