Written by Mustafa Abubakar, Ilorin
Suspected hoodlums in Ilorin, Kwara State Capital, yesterday hijacked the ongoing protest against the fuel subsidy removal and set ablaze the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign office in the state.
The campaign office, popularly known as Mandate House, located in Garin-Alimi, UTC Western Reservoir in Ilorin West Local Government Area, had its front side and some rooms burnt.
The hoodlums were also said to have carted away with valuables belonging to the staff of the office.
Addressing newsmen after the incident, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who regretted that the incident negated the protest by the organized labour, said his administration would not hesitate to impose a curfew in the state to forestall a reoccurrence.
“The recent escalation of the protests into violence across the state indicates that these protests have been hijacked by miscreants and opportunists who intend to settle political scores”.
“No responsible government can sit by and allow the breakdown of law and order. In recognition of this, I met today with leaders of the NLC, TUC and the National Association of Nigerian Students to identify solutions to the emerging crises and agreed that government would employ all constitutional means to secure the lives and property of all law abiding citizens across the state”.
Also condemning the incident, the immediate past governor of the state Senator Bukola Saraki, in a statement yesterday by his media aide Fatigun Akintola, urged Nigerians to give room for dialogue over the fuel subsidy.
He also cautioned against ethno-religious bigotry and partisan politics in the interest of the nation’s corporate existence.
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Source: Daily Trust
