Oyo State Police To Lead ‘Confidence-Building Patrol’ Ahead of NLC Protest

According to a statement released by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, in Ibadan, on Monday, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adebola Hamzat, is expected to lead a confidence-building patrol alongside Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and tactical commanders across the state’s 33 Local Government Areas on Tuesday.

This proactive measure, the statement said, aims to maintain peace and prevent any potential disorder during the proposed two-day protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress, set to commence nationwide.

Osifeso emphasised that while the command respects citizens’ right to peaceful protests, it remained committed to protecting lives and property from malicious individuals seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain.

He said:

“In as much the command respects the right of citizens to a peaceful procession, it is confident that in line with its statutory mandate, the lives and property of all will be protected from unscrupulous elements who might want to hijack the process for their own personal criminal agenda.

“To this end, CP Adebola has directed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and all tactical commanders to personally lead confidence-building patrols around every nook and cranny of the state to include but not limited to critical infrastructure, media houses, government institutions, correctional facilities, banks, places of worship, recreational centres, public spaces, and even routes charted for the peaceful protest, with a view to maintaining public order.

“Also, he reassured the residents about the command’s readiness to tackle any possible threat from the exercise. It enjoins parents, guardians and leaders of all degrees of influence to prevail on their children, wards, and protegés against being used by agents of anarchy who would want to take undue advantage of the situation to destroy the relative peace enjoyed in the state.”

Osifeso, however, sought to alleviate concerns among residents regarding the increased presence of police convoys and deployment of operational, intelligence, and tactical resources in key areas of the city.

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