…Wants Police To Use Same Energy To Go After Kidnappers
Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), has given seven days ultimatum to the state government and the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Ogbonika to release the 52 students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma arrested and detained over the protest on unabated kidnapping activities around the university community.
The group its statement made available to Truth Live News, signed by its Secretary General, Leftist Godspower Okumbor said it must be noted that, protest is a guaranteed and constitutional means of self expression and must not be criminalized by government and law enforcement agencies.
Leftist Okumbor added that it is a means by which citizens express their displeasure over any situation in a bid of calling to attention of relevant government or its agencies. Protest is part of the ingredients of democracy.
Okumbor maintained that while protests must be carried out in manners devoid of destruction of public properties and other criminal activities, it is a known fact that, in war, there are inevitable casualties of war. These outcomes can be mitigated through a process of de-escalation and addressing the remote cause of action.
He said it should be established that the failure and inaction of government to protect lives and property of citizens as kidnappers held sway in Ekpoma town led to the protest and every other thing that followed as government at all levels must be responsive and uphold the purpose for its existence.
While referring to the role of the police, the Secretary General of the group said the Edo State police command in a show of shame and incompetence have deployed men and resources in going after students alledged to have committed malicious damage and theft during the protest and arraigning 52 in court while no single kidnapper has been arrested after days of protest.
He said Edo people deserve responsive policing. It has become a pattern for Edo police to indulge in mass arrest which never gets conviction of suspects, calling the act as distraction at its best as similar pattern was observed during the state government fight against cultism.
He however called on the state government and the Nigeria Police Authority to as a matter of urgency release the 52 Edo students that are currently held in Ubiaja correctional facility while the police must go after the kidnappers terrorizing Ekpoma and bring them before the law.
He stressed that the people of Ekpoma and other parts of the state who have been guaranteed the security of lives and properties during the last electioneering campaign must not suffer or be dehumanised for the security ineptitude of government.
According to him “Mr.Governor should rather channel his energy into more resources to invest adequately in the state security architecture for the protection of lives and property of citizens instead of these kindergarten policing systems of using the commissioner of police to harass innocent but ever active citizens of Edo that he promised to protect.
“The concern of the Edo government should not only be about infrastructural developments but more about the respect,protection of lives and property of citizens.
“Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) is demanding the arrest of the kidnappers and a seven days ultimatum release of the 52 arrested citizen now in correctional service”.
