Some suspected hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest against police brutality in Okitipupa Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State on Thursday allegedly set ablaze the Okitipupa Divisional Police Station and the LGA Secretariat.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that efforts by the officers of the Nigerian Army, 19 Battalion, Niquora Barracks in Okitipupa LGA, also stopped the hoodlums from setting ablaze the Ondo State Correctional Centre in Okitipupa .
NAN also reports that the protesters also released over 200 motorcycles and other valuable properties seized and kept at the police station to the public.
An eye witness, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that trouble began after the police attempted to force the angry protesters to obey the curfew imposed by the state government on the residents of the state.
“The altercation between the police and the protesters led to the burning of the police station and the Local Government Council Secretariat.
“The efforts and timely intervention of the Nigerian Army officers, however, stopped the hoodlums from setting the Correctional Centre in Okitipupa on fire with a view to releasing the prisoners there,” the eye witness said.
Efforts by NAN to get the reactions of the police to the development were not successful as calls made to the phone line of the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Tee Leo-Ikoro, were not returned as at the time of filing this report.
Efforts by NAN to also speak with the Okitipupa LGA Chairman, Mr Igbekele Akinrinwa, also proved abortive as his telephone lines were switched off.
NAN reports that the #EndSARS protests in different parts of the country had resulted into the wanton destruction of valuable properties by suspected hoodlums who have hijacked the peaceful protests against police brutality.
