Critical stakeholders in Ekiti State have called on the residents to toe the path of peace as a planned nationwide protest begins tomorrow.
The stakeholders who acknowledged the country’s biting economic hardship said the situation can only be addressed in an atmosphere of peace.
They spoke in Ado Ekiti at an emergency stakeholders meeting convened by the state police command to brainstorm on the impending nationwide protests commencing on Thursday, August 1.
The stakeholders meeting held at the police officers mess in Ado-Ekiti, was attended by top government officials, students bodies, youth group, transport unions, Okada riders, traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies and local government chairmen among others
Speaking during the engagement, the state the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeniran Akinwale said there is need for the people to allow peace to reign and obey the constitutional provision if the protest must hold
“Security is everybody’s business and that is our primary concern. On the planned Protests, we are appealing and they have assured us they will not allow such a thing to happen.
“If there is any destruction, poor people will suffer. We will continue to engage and appeal to them and I believe we will not have issues.
“But if they do otherwise, we are preparing and strategizing to challenge anything that comes, but we don’t want violence and destruction of properties. we will continue to fine tune our strategies to ensure that we are able to cope with any situation”.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Brig-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana, (Rtd), advised the people to give peace a chance, saying Nigeria problems cannot be solved in one day.
