The Ogun State government has vowed to ensure that persons involved in the destruction of banks across the state are prosecuted.
Dapo Abiodun, the state governor, made this pledge, on Wednesday, during a visit to Sagamu for an on-the-spot assessment of buildings and property affected by the unrest. This was twenty-four hours after the incident which affected eight banks, the council secretariat and others.
A group of angry youths had invaded the Akarigbo road, where several banks were located, and had set fire to some of them while damaging and robbing others.
The youth also broke into the Sagamu local government secretariat, where they vandalized buildings and stole the legislative council’s mace.
The governor recounted the degree of property destruction to reporters shortly after the assessment tour of the impacted districts, saying it was frightening and unprecedented in the town’s history.
He said, “I am here to have on-the-spot assessment of what happened in the protest that rocked Sagamu yesterday.
“I have visited the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, local government secretariat and I am here at the Akarigbo Road to see the banks.
“What I have seen here breaks my heart. I am speechless. It was supposed to be a protest, but, what I have seen here is that there are sinister objectives.
“The IBEDC office and the local government secretariat were vandalized with properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
“At the banks, hoodlums attempted to take away computers and cash.
“The protest is beyond the naira redesigning or swapping policy.
“We heard that from so many eye witnesses and we also believe from what we have seen today. This is most unfortunate particularly as elections are few days away.
“This is obvious to me that some elements are determined to unleash mayhem in order to cause voters’ apathy or perhaps to hopefully believe that there will be no elections, if they continue with the violence.
“As the Chief Security Officer of this state, I consider this a test of not only my will, but the collective will of the law architecture.
“We are going after any person that either directly or indirectly associates with this hideous crime.
“We will swing them, we will arrest them and they will face the full wrath of the law and make a good example of them.”
Earlier on Monday, the state’s police command revealed that about 10 branches of commercial banks were destroyed during the Sagamu riot in Ogun State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, described the attack as criminal, senseless, evil, and barbaric.
Adejobi who tweeted via twitter handle said “Almost 10 banks were destroyed, IEDC station burnt, many places torched, why? It’s quite unfortunate that those who orchestrated the act won’t feel the heat, like the innocent, because the perpetrators have nothing.
“Those who instigated them to do so are clueless and will all be fished out. Anyway, many have been arrested, and they will be charged to court with Arson etc, while other perpetrators will be identified one by one, its a matter of time.”
