The Kwara state police command Monday paraded no fewer than 144 persons in connection with the last week Friday violent attack and looting of both public and private property in Ilorin, the state capital.
Hoodlums under the guise of EndSARS protesters laid siege on Ilorin metropolis on the fateful day by attacking government warehouses, office of the state Nigeria Customs Service Command, Shoprite mall and others. They also attacked and molested motorists and residents of the metropolis.
This is just as the state government relaxed the 24 hour curfew imposed on the state capital.
The curfew has been relaxed to between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.
Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, the state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said that the arrest of the suspects was as a result of combined efforts of security agencies operating in the state.
Egbetokun, who confirmed that two government warehouses and lots of privately owned property were attacked by the hoodlums, said that the violence was well coordinated and led by hardened criminals.
He said large quantity of looted property, including two vehicles used to ferry away loots had also been recovered Egbetokun called on those who still have looted property in their possession to voluntarily surrender them, adding that such people would not be prosecuted.
The police boss said that such looted property could be submitted at various religious centres like mosques, churches and even residences of community heads.
He said that arrest of suspects is a continuous process, adding that, “as we are here, more arrest and recovery of looted property are still being made.”
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, after a security council meeting with heads of the security agencies in the state on Sunday had reviewed the 24 hour curfew imposed on the state to between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.
In a statement, Governor AbdulRaZak spokesperson Rafiu Ajakaye, said that: “A review of the situation in the Ilorin metropolis suggested a relative calm. The meeting observed that the objective of the curfew has largely been achieved as the misguided elements who looted and vandalised public and private properties have been pushed back and normalcy restored.
“Consequently, the security council resolved to relax the curfew from 24 hours to between 6p.m. and 8 a.m. daily until further notice.
This means members of the public can move around between 8 a.m. and 6p.m. daily within the metropolis.
“Even so, the government will continue to review the situation and take decisions that are in the best interest of the state.”