Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The people of Ikere-Ekiti, in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State have promised to rebuild the burnt police stations in the town.
The community made the promise at the end of deliberations by the people of the town, including community leaders, youths and market women amongst others.
The police stations in the town were set ablazed by arsonists when hoodlums hijacked the last nationwide EndSARS protests.
Consequently, the Ekiti Police command withdrew its men from the community citing the burning of its three police stations, operational vehicles located in the town as reasons for the action.
The police authorities also demanded that the community fish out and arrest some of the hoodlums who perpetrated the act for prosecution, as condition for the policemen to return to the town.
The community, in a communique signed by the monarch, Oba Adejimi Adu at the end of the meeting, tasked a retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG), who hailed from the town to speed up the building of police post which was under construction sometimes ago.
“The community condemned outrightly the violence and its attendant wanton destruction of public property, vowing to cooperate with the police to arrest some of the hoodlums who burnt the police stations.”
According to the communique,” the youths decided to henceforth resist and combat anyone or group wishing to destroy, vandalise any public or private property in Ikere Ekiti in future.”
It, however, appealed to the police to as a matter of urgency to reverse its decision to withdraw policemen from the town in the best interest and wellbeing of the law abiding residents of the community.
It urged the indigenes of the community, especially the youths to eschew violence and embrace peace as no town could have any meaningful development amidst violence.