The Ogun State government has pointed accusing finger at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the sponsor of the violent protest which occurred in Sagamu town of the State on Monday February 20, 2023.
The state government said the demonstration over the scarcity of naira notes has political undertone, and resulted in attack of innocent residents and vandalisation of bank facilities in the town.
This was revealed in a statement released by Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The statement titled ‘The politically motivated protest in Sagamu’, revealed that members of the opposition party and candidates led and sponsored the protest.
The Informant247 earlier reported that there’s a protest in Ogun State over the scarcity of naira notes in Nigeria, with report that commercial banks were set on fire in the Sagamu area of the state.
In videos which went viral on Monday, February 20, 2023, it could be seen how residents of the affected area were watching as Union and Keystone Banks were set on fire, as some youth were holding planks and show of demonstration.
“Early this morning, a politically motivated violent protest took place in Sagamu, during which innocent people were attacked while banks and public infrastructures were destroyed and razed down by fire . We were reliably informed that some disgruntled members of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose members and some of the party’s candidates were seen leading the demonstration.
“While the protests were purportedly against the “scarcity of naira notes”, the real intention of these elements became obvious with the involvement of known PDP members.
“It is on record that the campaign tour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which moved through Simawa to Ogijo and back to Sagamu, where two roads were commissioned yesterday, ended without any hitch. The APC rally was attended by tens of thousands of people at different locations, lasting from about 8.00 am. in the morning to 8.00pm in the evening without any violence, quarrels, or disagreements whatsoever.
“We believe strongly that it was the success of the APC rally of yesterday that got the feeble opposition PDP frustrated and therefore made their members embark on the mindless destruction of properties.
“The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has been on top of the fallouts of the naira re-design issues. The Governor had visited the Central Bank headquarters in Abeokuta and some other commercial banks’ branches, made a state broadcast and empathize with the people with a reassurance that efforts are on to ameliorate the negative impacts of the controversial policy on the people. Ogun State is also one of the states that has taken the Federal Government to court on the naira swap policy.
“Attacks on innocent people and the destruction of private and public properties can not solve the current problem but will rather worsen the situation. Therefore, we must not allow desperate politicians to mislead members of the public and use them as cannons to vent frustration.
“Rather, our people should exercise patience and be law abiding while waiting to cast their votes for the party that has stood by the populace even at this critical period,” he stated.
The CPS added that the police have made arrest and commenced investigation into the incident.
“Ogun State has been acknowledged as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria; and the government shall not fold its hands and allow the state to be defined by thuggery, violence, and arson. The full wrath of the law will be made to bear on the culprits, no matter who their sponsors are,” he stated.
