Follow Us on Google
Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to call policemen to order, over alleged brutality of citizens across the country.
The socio-cultural group said the convention globally has been that the policemen must respect the dignity of every citizen by refraining from actions that could either dehumanise or demean humanity by their actions.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, by its Secretary General, Kunle Olajide, YCE said it was angry with the police over the injuries its men allegedly inflicted on some pro-democracy champions in Oyo and Ogun states, on June 12.
Olajide said it was antithetical to democratic norms for peaceful rallies organised by those perceived to be in opposition to mark the June 12 celebration to have allegedly been disrupted by the policemen, under any guise.
Some policemen, according to YCE, allegedly disrupted the ‘O To Ge’ (It is enough) rallies, held in the concerned states on Democracy Day.
Olajide said: “The policemen did not only disrupt the rallies in those states, they brutally harassed, detained and inflicted injuries on some of the participants.
“One of the leaders of the rallies in Ogun, Tunde Amusat and Mrs. Oyeronke Akinlolu, whose husband was killed by kidnappers, at Iwaraja, after collecting N8 million ransom, were picked up and detained for several hours.
“Democracy allows multiplicity of opinions, but police, as an institution, should not have botched a peaceful protest meant to commemorate June 12.
“Are these policemen doing all these on their own or taking orders from somewhere?
“It was rather sad that this is happening at a time when President Muhammadu Buhari is embracing and romancing democracy.
“So, the IGP needs to rein in his men.”
It wasn’t codemnation for the police all through. The body equally commended the region’s governors for accomodating the rally in their respective states.
“We also commend Lagos and Osun states governors, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Gboyega Oyetola, for allowing O To Ge rallies in their respective states.”
The YCE scribe added that the police’s main preoccupation in the South West must be how to curb kidnappings and killings by suspected herders.
“The level of insecurity in the South West is becoming frightening and worrisome by the day.
“The IGP must beef up security and work with the governors in the region, traditional rulers and local hunters to checkmate these bandits.”
He said the group, as elders and leaders in the zone, won’t watch while their people are being mowed down by killers.
