Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has strongly condemned the Monday attacks on the Imo State Police Command Headquarters and the Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) in Owerri. He also said that freeing inmates poses grave danger to the society.
The Vice President, who is on a one-day visit to Imo State to commission state projects such as the Dick Tiger road project, took out time to visit the Imo State Police Command and the Correctional Facility which were both attacked by gunmen suspected to belong to the separatist IPOB group on Monday.
Our dear city of Owerri had its peace and tranquillity shattered by heavily armed hoodlums who blasted open the doors of the correctional facility, facilitating the escape of well over 1,000 inmates; many of whom were dangerous criminals. pic.twitter.com/9zXpuDQK0o
— Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (@ProfOsinbajo) April 6, 2021
Professor Osinbajo, speaking on the incident as part of his comments at the commissioning remarked that “the peaceful city of Owerri had its peace and tranquility shattered by heavily armed hoodlums who blasted open the doors of the correctional facility, facilitating the escape of well over 1,000 inmates; many of whom were dangerous criminals, and they also attacked the police headquarters at “Shell Camp” burning several vehicles and even attempting to overtake the police armory, if not for the effective resistance of the police. An attack on the critical institutions of law enforcement, police stations and prisons is an attack on the safety, security and well being of the citizens. It is not merely an attack on law and order. It is a mindless attack on the people and the way of life of the people.”
He continued, “When you attack police stations and free dangerous criminals, you put women, men, children and their possessions and livelihoods at risk. Whatever the motives of the perpetrators, the action is egregious and atrocious in the extreme and all men and women of goodwill must openly condemn this assault on the way of life of the good people of this State.”
“Perhaps more than any other part of the country, this region has borne witness to the terrible cost in lives, liberty and progress that is exempted by conflict. It is in this beautiful land, that our county learned an enduring lesson on the futility of violence. But there are those who believe that to resolve issues and conflicts other than by violence is cowardliness.”
He also emphasized the use of civil means to resolve disputes as provided by the democratic system, rather than resort to violence.
He noted, “Our system is not perfect, and we can only seek to perfect it, indeed no earthly system is perfect, but what democracy and the institutions of democratic governance provide, are channels, however imperfect for seeking redress for injury, for peacefully addressing the problems that ail us. There are many who are working tirelessly everyday to improve our system, to build up and to enhance it. We must therefore, reject the agents of anarchy that seek to weaponize the frustration and discontent of young people, for their own profit.”
“The path of violence can only lead to disaster, that consumes everyone, at least to the desolation of our communities. It is easy to take peace for granted, but we need not learn the value of peace through the horrible crucible of war. Anyone who perpetrates violence does not represent the progressive mindedness of the good people of this State and this region, and I call on all of us to come together to resist any attempts to turn the progress and peace that this zone is set to experience to conflict and disruption. The security in this city and the State since yesterday have been further enhanced and we expect to strengthen security capacity even more here. The search for the escaped inmates of the correctional facility has begun in earnest.”
He concluded by commending Governor Hope Uzodinma, who had earlier set up a commission of inquiry for a thorough investigation of the event, for his firm handling of the security situation in the State.
It will be recalled that in the space of two months, five divisional police headquarters have been attacked at different locations in Imo by unidentified gunmen.
