The Chairman, Oyo state Police Community Relation Committee, Rev. Prince Peter Omofoye has called on the youths to shun all forms of violence during protest as this will not be the solution to scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria police force.
Omofoye made this known in an exclusive interview with CEOAFRICA on Sunday, 18th October, 2020 during an award ceremony at the First Olukotun Baptist Church premises Iwo, Osun state, where he bagged an award of stewardship.
He added that it is lawful to protest but that they should be peaceful and that vandalism and causing chaos is not the best as they are destroying the federal government properties which also belong to them and their community as well.
He said “vandalism, chaos and crises by our youth is not the best for them. What they are destroying is the federal government property, indirectly, it is the property of everybody and theirs too … protesting by vandalism is not the best. Let them sit down, have a press conference and iron things out”.
He stated that the PCRC, a body that serves as a bridge between the Nigerian Police Force and the public have been sensitizing the communities from the urban to the rural level on the need to be peaceful in their protest and work with the police for a better outcome adding that the police are the friend of the people.
“From the community level, we have been sensitizing the community from the city to the urban level, telling them that vandalism, causing chaos by our youth is not the best for them” he said.
He also added that the PCRC through the National Executive Council for Police Communication Committee in Nigeria has written to the presidency and visited the vice president as well as the National Assembly to discuss and to put up suggestions.
He said “PCRC through the National Executive Council for Police Communication Committee in Nigeria has done a letter with the presidency, visited the vice president, discussed this with the national assembly and put up suggestions.”
He therefore urged the government to give attention to the youths and engage them in the administration of the country for the betterment and progress of the nation.
He said “those boys need attention, our government should give them attention, listen to them, engage them in the administration of this country if we want betterment, progress and success”
He further advised the protesters to be calm and avoid destruction of government properties and work together with the government to move Nigeria forward.
The chairman equally lamented on the treatment meted out on the Nigerian Police Officers by the members of the public and blamed the government for not properly equipping nor taking good care of them, adding that he is proud of them as they are brilliant and have achieved a lot despite the setback.
He stated that the embarrassment given to the police nowadays is absurd, it is degrading; in fact, it is an insult that a police officer would be beaten by members of the public.
In his word, “the embarrassment given to the police nowadays is absurd, it is degrading, in fact, it is an insult that a police officer would be beaten by members of the public…the police in this country are suffering and smiling, no equipment to work and most of the guns they are using are not serviceable compared to some advanced countries.”
