#EndSARS: Full text of Governor Oyetola’s broadcast on attack

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State has directed the state Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, to investigate the death of two persons in the state capital, Osogbo.

The two persons were said to have been killed while thugs attacked #EndSARS protesters and the governor’s convoy on Saturday.

Although the governor escaped being attack by the crowd, several vehicles in his convoy were damaged by persons who threw dangerous objects at the vehicles.

Some eyewitnesses also reported that the convoy had run over some protesters.

In a state broadcast early on Sunday, the governor, however, debunked the insinuation that his convoy ran over the protesters.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the commando-style with which the assailants carried out their attack was deliberate & pre-planned,” the governor said.

“It was also evident that it was not the genuine protesters that carried out the violence. Preliminary investigation further revealed that no live bullet or cannister of teargas was fired at the rampaging political thugs. Therefore, no life was lost at the scene of the incident.

“I was evacuated to safety. Regrettably, two lives were reportedly lost yesterday. But none occcured during the attack on me. One of the said deaths which was caused by a lone motorcycle accident occurred around 12noon, long before I got to the protest ground.

“The second death was said to have occurred around Ayepe, about 5 kilometers away from Olaiya where we held the protest”.

He used the medium to appeal to residents to remain calm and law-abiding even as the investigation into the matter continues.

On Saturday, he had stated that he has confidence in the genuine intention of the protest, adding that the presidency had directed all state governments to constitute judicial panels of inquiry to look into the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) before it was disbanded.

Read his full address below:

My dear Good People of the State of Osun, yesterday evening, political thugs & hoodlums made failed attempts on my life & those of my aides while identifying with our beloved youths who were engaging in legitimate protest against the alleged brutality of the now disbanded SARS.

My entourage and I joined protesters from Alekuwodo area to Olaiya Junction chanting solidarity songs with them & encouraging them along the way. During the course of my address to the protesters to reiterate our cooperation & support, political thugs hijacked the exercise & hurled stones and dangerous weapons at us and vandalised several cars in my convoy.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the commando-style with which the assailants carried out their attack was deliberate & pre-planned.

It was also evident that it was not the genuine protesters that carried out the violence. Preliminary investigation further revealed that no live bullet or cannister of teargas was fired at the rampaging political thugs. Therefore, no life was lost at the scene of the incident.

I was evacuated to safety. Regrettably, two lives were reportedly lost yesterday. But none occcured during the attack on me. One of the said deaths which was caused by a lone motorcycle accident occurred around 12noon, long before I got to the protest ground.

The second death was said to have occurred around Ayepe, about 5 kilometers away from Olaiya where we held the protest. We sympathise with the families of the diseased & pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the great losses.

I have directed that the incidents be properly investigated with a view to ascertaining the causes of the deaths. By this week, we shall be setting up a Judicial Panel of Enquiry in line with the directive of @ProfOsinbajo to investigate all related cases of abuse & brutality by the disbanded SARS.

This panel will also investigate yesterday’s attack. What happened on Saturday is objectionable, unacceptable and a blight to the Omoluabi ethos that the State of Osun stands for.

Attempt on the life of the governor cannot be planned by the youths who constituted over 60 per cent of the voters that elected us into office and had embarked on successful and peaceful road walks with us several times in the past.

Osun youths who are the original #EndSARS protesters have travelled the long road of building a better Osun with us and we have been on the lane of delivering a better and prosperous Osun together. This assassination attempt could not have come from them.

Our Admin. had identified with the youths from Day 1 of the protest in the belief that protest is a right of the citizenry & a core component of democracy. On the day one of the protest, Senior Govt. Officials were at the Freedom Park to identify with & address the protesters.

This Senior Govt. Officials also addressed them at the Gate of the State Secretariat, Abere, on the 4th day to identify with the protesters, pledge our solidarity to their cause & promise to deliver their demands to @MBuhari. Those demands have since been met by Mr President.

The protesters had engaged in peaceful demonstration for the first two days before it was later hijacked in the last five days. In fact, we had cause to raise the alarm last Wednesday to the effect that the protest had been hijacked.

As a responsible & responsive govt., we’ll do everything within the ambit of the law to protect the lives & property of our people. All our citizens & residents are enjoined to be law-abiding as any person found contravening the law shall be made to face the wrath of the law.

We commit to the cause of our youths and the #EndSARS protesters and shall do everything to ensure that their demands are met. I enjoin all our citizens to be peaceful and to be law-abiding as all efforts shall be made to protect them and their property.

Rest assured that we are on top of the situation. We shall fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act & bring them to justice. We shall not condone any act that will compromise the lives of our people & the hard-won ranking of our state as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.