EndSARS: Another Victim Dies In Ogbomoso As Makinde Blames Unemployment For Protest

Another #EndSARS protester who was shot in Ogbomsoo, Oyo State, on Sunday , Ibrahim Ganiyu has died.

Our correspondent gathered that the 19-year-old boy, who lived at Saja area of the town was buried immediately after he died.

A source close to the family said, ” it is unfortunate he died today . He has even been buried.”

Meanwhile , the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, visited the families of slain victims of #EndSARS protest in Ogbomoso on Tuesday.

The governor, who sympathised with the affected families also inspected the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, following the attack on the palace during #EndSARS protest on Sunday.

The palace was attacked when the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, who is an Indigene of the town, was holding a meeting with the monarch.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, said this in a statement on Tuesday.

Makinde said the sustained protest in many parts of the country was a wake up call to leaders to address the problems facing the people especially the youths.

The governor approved an immediate release of N100 million to the Soun of Ogbomoso for the renovation of the palace.

He also gave N1m each to the families of the deceased and made a commitment to the families to work with them to know the areas the government could be of help to them, in order to cushion the effects of the loss of their loved ones.

He said, “I did not expect the level of destruction we have witnessed here. I accept the fact that peaceful protest is legitimate and it is guaranteed under our Constitution; but this type of destruction should not have happened at all.

“This is because the state government is not in control of SARS. Even though they will say the governor is the Chief Security Officer for the state, I am not in control of the Commissioner of Police as the governor of Oyo State. I am not in control of who they will post here as Commissioner. We just work with whoever we meet along the way. 

“We will have to engage with our people. At the heart of this is not just the issue of SARS. There has been pent-up anger. The issue of the pandemic, unemployment and other factors are those things that led to what we are seeing today.

“So, I am sincerely sorry for this level of damage, sir.  Your children did it. That is part of the price we have to pay for the current state of the country. Kabiyesi, as a government, we will do everything possible to ensure there is palliative. We will also ensure that we beautify the structure.

“I have also seen the vehicles they destroyed. They have to replace the wind-shields and all of that. Some, they may have to replace the vehicle completely. I saw a Toyota RAV 4 car which is almost completely destroyed. So, I will ask the Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to come for the assessment.

“I will release N100 million Naira immediately to commence the repairs on the things that were damaged in  the palace while I will go to town to engage our youth protesters.”

Makinde said that aside addressing the issue of police brutality and pervasive injustice in the country, it had also become expedient for the leadership to urgently address the issue of youth unemployment.

“Some of the anger we are witnessing will be a tip of the iceberg if we don’t find things for the youths to do, because an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

“Assuming most of the youths are engaged, this destruction would not have happened. Majority of them are not engaged. So, if an opportunity like this surfaces, the pent-up anger will definitely flow over.

“Kabiyesi, I want to believe that you are not their real target. Because if you were, immediately they entered, they would have attacked you. But they were looking for where to destroy to draw the attention of the government to their side. I am not supporting what they have done but it has been done already and we have to engage them.

“Let me also say that this is a wake up call for us. As leaders, we must ensure that we quickly look at things to do to make most of our youths engaged, otherwise, this will definitely continue,” he added.

The monarch said the attackers were raining stones on the palace from outside while he was holding meeting with the Minister and others.

He said, “We are not very happy seeing our youths engaging in vandalism in the name of protests like this, because they do not have any job. This is important and that is why they have the mind to do bad things. Therefore, it is the duty of the government to ensure the youths are employed so that we will stop witnessing things like this.

“We are not happy about what they have done. First,  from the outside, they were stoning us right in the palace. 

“So, when you go to your executive meeting, think of something you can do for the youths in each area so that they will be engaged in lucrative ventures; be it vocational jobs, civil service jobs or offer them loans and monitor the businesses. 

“Oyo State, as a whole, belongs to you and you have to take care of it. We, the traditional rulers, are also trying our best in taking care of our people. We want Nigeria to be peaceful. It is catastrophic to have no means to eat. I pray God will help you. The money you gave to us,  we are grateful for that.

“LAUTECH is another issue, what are you doing about it and the road you are constructing, God will see you through. God will help the government to complete all these laudable projects and you will succeed.”