#ENDSARS protests: Operatives track hoodlums as looting spreads
Following the directive by the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, a nationwide sweeping search and arrest of miscreants who freely looted and vandalised public utilities, private business concerns and residences of some top individuals has earnestly commenced, Blueprint reports.
The IGP Saturday ordered the Assistants Inspector General (AIGs) and the Commissioners of Police (CPs) to take charge and restore order amidst the street violence.
The hoodlums
Some hoodlums, hiding under the #ENDSARS protest, took advantage of the peaceful protest seeking an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to unleash mayhem on law abiding citizens.
The looting spree started in Lagos state Wednesday, barely 24 hours after some ‘unknown soldiers’ allegedly killed unspecified number of protesters at the Lekki Tollgate end of the state.
In a rage of anger, the hoodlums changed the direction of the protest and took to looting and vandalising of properties and major businesses in the state.
Beside looting the warehouse in Mazamaza where some COVID-19 palliative items were kept, the miscreants also hit the streets of Lagos, burning and looting major business investments.
Among the places torched were Lagos state High Court buildings, TVC television station and The Nation, both media houses believed to be owned by a former Lagos state governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
And not long after, similar trend occurred in Kwara, Plateau, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Cross River among others, where the palliatives were looted and major private business outfits vandalised.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew had been imposed on all the affected states to restore some level of sanity after the street violence.
Plateau
In Plateau state, the Special Military Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) Sunday arrested 123 suspects for vandalising and looting items from private businesses and government properties in Jos.
Parading the suspects before journalists in Jos, the state capital, OPSH Commander Chukwuemeka Okonkwo said the suspects defied the 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government to perpetrate the criminal acts.
He said some of the suspects were arrested during the looting spree at the Plateau Agricultural and Development Agency (PADP), located at Dogon Dutse of Jos North local government area of the state.
Others, he said, were arrested while trying to vandalise and loot private shops at West of Mines area of the locality.
The commander said the arrest was aimed at curbing all forms of criminality in the state, adding that it would also serve as deterrent to others.
“We arrested these suspects while vandalising and looting private businesses and properties in Jos.
“These are hoodlums, not #ENDSARS protesters. So, they are purely criminals.
“We will not tolerate any form of criminality and this exercise will also serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
He warned that the task force would decisively deal with anybody caught tampering with public properties, and that the suspects would be prosecuted.
“We shall not spare anyone caught unlawfully taking government property. Such persons are criminals and will not go scot free.
“These suspects will be handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution,” Okonkwo said.
He said the task force would make more arrests as the OPSH would ensure such criminal elements were apprehended.
The suspects comprised 110 males and 13 females.
Some of the items looted by the suspects include pumping machines, bags of fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides.
Governor Simon Lalong had re-imposed a 24-hour curfew following burgling of some major stores and carting away thousands of palliative items in Jos and Bukuru.
Also, the Nigeria Standard Newspapers and some cars were damaged, while some private businesses were also vandalised by the hoodlums Saturday.
As at the time of this report, more suspects were being taken to the OPSH headquarters.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner for information, Hon. Dan Majang, said the state government did not hoard palliative items, contrary to allegations making the rounds.
He said: “It has become expedient for the Plateau State Government to condemn the action and further make some clarifications about the items to clear the erroneous impression that they were being hoarded.”
Akwa Ibom
Similarly, the Akwa Ibom Police command said it arrested 10 suspects in connection with the looting and vandalism of properties in Uyo following the infiltration of the #EndSARS protest by hoodlums.
Commissioner of Police Andrew Amiengheme stated this in a press statement obtained by Blueprint in Uyo.
Amiengheme said the quick deployment of anti-riot policemen in collaboration with sister security agencies like the army and DSS, as well as the efforts of the state government, led to restored normalcy to the capital city.
He said the command recovered stolen properties worth millions of naira, including 14 deep freezers, 6 refrigerators, 8 flat screen televisions, 4 water dispensers, 16 bags of rice, 4 air conditions, one printer, chairs and other items.
The police boss said the command would continue to ensure all the looted items were recovered.
“Some youths with evil intentions in the guise of #ENDSARS went about vandalising, looting and burning some government and private property including the Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC), Anchor Insurance, De Choice Shopping Mall, L.G showroom, and Access Bank Plc.
“I have visited all the said places today with my Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Auwal M. Mohammad, and we have made an on-the-spot assessment of damages done.
“I commend the state government’s timely intervention through the imposition of curfew. As of today, I went round to ensure strict compliance, and we will continue to do so.
“The command’s efforts have yielded positive results leading to the arrest of the following persons: Victor Udoeka Effiong ‘m’, Emediong Michael James ‘f’, Imedimfon Ime James ‘m’, Isaac John Udoh ‘m’, Sunday Michael James ‘m’, Wisdom Godswill Reuben ‘m’, Ntiefon Ime Robbert, Akaninyene Abraham Livinus ‘m’, Imoh Enobong Sunday, Isaac Sunday Udo ‘m’.
“I am delighted to inform you that our quick deployment of Anti-Riot Policemen in conjunction with the efforts of sister security agencies such as the Army and DSS, and the efforts of the state government has restored normalcy in Uyo and the state in general,” he said.
Amiengheme said under his watch, the command would not allow anyone to derail the peace in the state.
Osun
And from Osun state, Blueprint gathered that no fewer than 30 people were apprehended in connection with the looting of shops and warehouses across the state.
The hoodlums were separately arrested by some local and the Joint Task Force on security in the state.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mrs Abiodun Ige disclosed this to journalists Sunday in Osogbo.
She said properties worth millions of naira were also recovered from the suspects.
The governor’s aide said efforts were on to arrest others, and advised those with the stolen items to return same immediately.
Some of the vandalised places include; Ayegbaju market, residence of Senator Ajibola Bashiru, and that of former Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Lasun Yusuf and the popular Omoluabi Garment Factory among others.
She listed the items recovered from the said looters to include chairs, fans, television sets and food items.
Kwara
Also, several of the alleged looters of Shoprite and other business concerns in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, were nabbed by the state police command.
In a video clip on BBC News Yoruba which has gone viral, the arrested persons, comprising young and old, men and women, were seen being ordered into a MOPOL pick up vehicles.
Some of them who pleaded for leniency, said they had lost their parents long time ago and needed to make ends meet, even as a policeman was overheard telling them he lost his parents some 40 years ago , but vowed not to go into begging or stealing, hence the decision to join the force to decently earn a living.
For some others, they were just coming around Sunday morning to come and be part of the looting when the long arm of the law caught up with them, Blueprint gathered.
Meanwhile, Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has announced a N500 million support for those whose businesses were looted in the state by hoodlums.
The governor condemned “the mindless looting” of people’s businesses in the state capital and insisted there can be no justification for such criminal behaviour.
He commiserated with owners of all the businesses affected and announced N500m fund to assist them as part of the administration’s effort to bring them back on their feet following the incident.
During his visit to the Kwara Mall and Agro Mall Saturday evening, the governor said the incident may bring businesses to their knees, and cause massive loss of jobs and a surge in poverty rate. The implications, he said, were clearly lost on the “hoodlums”.
“We are therefore not going to leave the business owners like that. We are setting up N500m fund for those that were affected to access. The application form is live and active on the state government’s website and can now be filled by interested parties. We are going to get them back as soon as possible,” he said.
Cross River
Reports from Calabar, Cross River state, said Governor Ben Ayadecharged security agencies in the state to move against the spate of arson and carnage witnessed in some parts the capital city.
In a statement by his special adviser, media and publicity, Mr Christian Ita, the governor asked the security personnel to carry out a house-to-house search for looted property with a view to arresting the hoodlums who perpetrated the criminal act.
While saying he understood the people’s pain, Ayade stated underscored the need to protect the collective commonwealth of the people currently under threat by some persons desperately trying to discredit the peaceful disposition of the citizens of the state.
He urged security personnel “to take legitimate actions to ensure that peace returns to the state,” noting that “the state government is already working towards ensuring the demands of those who genuinely participated in the #EndSARS march are met.”
