Ahead of the planned protest by workers, traders, and students slated for Wednesday, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, has called the leadership of the labour unions including Commercial vehicle drivers and students to a peaceful meeting in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
The meeting, according to a police statement signed by SP Okasanmi Ajayi, Police Public Relations Officer, on Tuesday was an effort to maintain the existing peace and tranquillity in the state and was supported by the Director of State Services and Commandant of the NSCDC.
The statement said, “At the peace meeting, discussions were premised on how the protest could be peaceful and rancour-free if eventually, it holds, because of the fragile nature of the state of security in the country in general and the state in particular.
“In their different contributions, both the Director of State Services, Mr Patrick Ikenweiwe fsi, mni, and Commandant NSCDC, GB Umar, spoke heartily on the need for the labour unions to put off the protest and continue with the engagement they had begun with the Federal Government.
“The labour leaders and the student leaders in the meeting spoke about their readiness to cancel the protest if only their national leaders directed them to so do.
“One thing that was generally agreed upon was that the peace and progress of the state are paramount in the minds of all.
“The CP and all others at the meeting agreed to await the final decision of the meeting between the Labour leaders and the government.”
Okasanmi said that meanwhile, security arrangements had been placed across the length and breadth of the state to check and mitigate any backlash that could ensue as a result of the protest.
“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police wishes to advise parents and guardians to call their children and wards to order and advise them against being instruments in the hands of the bad ones. Anyone found acting contrary to the laws of the land during the protest would be arrested and charged in court”, he warned.
The statement said the meeting had in attendance Comrade Muritala Saheed, State Chairman NLC; Comrade Joseph Tunde, TUC; Alhaji Abdulrasak Ariwola, Chairman NURTW; Alhaji Yinka Onikijipa, Chairman RTEAN; Alhaji Azeez Yakubu, Chairman ORAN; Alhaji Babaelesin Abdulazeez, Secretary, Tricycle Association of Nigeria, and Yusuf Abdulgafar, of the University of Ilorin, who represented the student body
