Following the violence that trailed the ENDSARS protest in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Governor of the state, Mr. Seyi Makinde, has deployed members of the Operation Burst to various hotspots in the metropolis, to arrest the situation and restore normalcy.

The governor, in a broadcast on Tuesday, hinted that members of the team will continue to protect genuine protesters and their right to protest, pointing out that the state would not allow persons with ulterior motives to hijack the protests.

He said: “I have always said that peaceful protests are an important part of our democratic process, and no one should be harassed or brutalised for protesting. For this reason, we deployed members of Operation Burst to protect protesters. And we are happy to report that there have been no cases of disruptions of protest grounds in Oyo State since they started work.”

“However, the past two days have seen a new dimension to the ongoing protests. Thugs and hoodlums have taken advantage of the situation to perpetrate uncivil acts and harass citizens who are going about their day-to-day activities.”

“Some thugs are going as far as forcing people who have businesses open to close shop and join in the protests. We know these are criminal elements. And so, as a state, we must act to protect the citizenry.”

Ssource:- Vanguard