The Governor of Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said it will be unfair to use the bad elements among the police to give a blanket judgement on all officers.
Governor Fayemi, who visited the Police Headquarters in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday commended officers of the force for the maturity displayed in handling youths during the ENDSARS protests assuring them that Ekiti State will always welcome and support committed officers.
“For us in Ekiti State, We do not see our police officers as our enemy,” he said. “They are not. As a matter of fact we have a lot to thank you for. This state is one of the most peaceful.
“I’m not suggesting that as with every institution, the police does not have its bad eggs, it’s not possible. Police cannot be an institution of angels in a country where mere mortals exist.
“However it is absolutely wrong to tar all policemen with the same brush of those few who may have behaved badly or found culpable in one offense or the other.”
The Governor noted that protests can be legitimate when peaceful but condemned the hijack of the ENDSARS demonstrations which led to the burning of some police stations and other violence against officers in Ekiti State.
“Protests, where it is carried out responsibly, is legitimate, we have nothing against that. Those who started the protest were given police back up in the course of what happened until they became unruly and I was a victim of that myself,” Fayemi said.
He assured that officers who are victims of the #EndSARS violence will be compensated while promising continued support to the police from the government.
The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Tunde Mobayo, in his remarks, regretted the violent twist into the #EndSARS protest leading to an attack against Governor Fayemi’s convoy, destruction of police vehicles and burning down of some Police stations.
He, however, assured the Governor that the police will not be daunted in its mission of ensuring the security of lives and property in the state.
