Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, pleaded with the state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo to allow officers and men of his command to return to their duty posts and continue their efforts in ensuring the security of lives and property of the citizens of the state.
The governor made the call yesterday when he paid a solidarity visit to the command in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest that led to the destruction of lives and property, including the burning down of several police stations in different parts of the state.
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Obaseki said their absence on the roads and some important Flashpoints in the state could easily be interpreted by the hoodlums who hijacked the good intentions of the #EndSARS protest as weakness and cowardice on the part of the police, adding that the police should do everything within their powers to quickly correct that wrong impression.
He equally used the opportunity to reassure members of the police force that the government and people of Edo State are solidly behind them to give them the needed support and encouragement that they needed to move on and get rid of all the criminal elements in the state.
The governor said as part of his concern and sharing in their plights, he has ordered for patrol vans to be supplied and given to the police to aid their operations in the state, while the medical bills of the injured officers would also be taken care of by the government just as he said he would rebuild the burnt police stations.
The governor, however, vowed that the inmates who escaped will not celebrate Christmas with other citizens of the state and that they will certainly be rearrested while those who saw the prison gates flung opened and chose to stay back, will have their cases reviewed.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK