RRS deserves commendation for efforts against violence in Lagos State: WIP Director, Omotoyosi

World Institute for Peace has given kudos to Police Rapid Response Squad, Lagos Command for its proactive efforts against social vices.

The commendation was contained in a statement signed by WIP Executive Director, Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, on Friday January 20, 2023.

“They Impetrate Nigeria Police Service Commission to fire compromised CPs before the election,” Omotoyosi said in a statement.

“It is good news to have learnt about how proactive the Police Rapid Response Squad, Lagos Command is in the manner at which they have been diligently curbing the menace of thuggery, cultism and other social vices in the state,” he stated.

The statement added, “This deserves international accolades as we call on the Commissioners of Police in Osun and Oyo States not to take with levity, what has to do with lives and properties of the citizenry of the states because the news coming out from the states in particular recently is all about political thuggery.”

The statement lamented that recently, Osun was declared as the state that tops the list of states with various degrees of violent activities.

“This is desolate.”

As political thuggery is the use of violence, intimidation, and other forms of coercion to influence the outcome of an election, it is an unacceptable form of political activity that has serious consequences for a country’s stability and development.

WIP maintained that political thuggery can also undermine the legitimacy of an elected government, as citizens may feel their voices have been silenced through violence and manipulation.

“It can lead to an erosion of public trust in the electoral process and the political system as a whole,” he said.

Omotoyosi urged the FG to curb political thuggery before the election if truly willing to carry out a peaceful and credible presidential election.

He stressed that all eyes are on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election and President Muhammadu Buhari is charged to live up to expectations.

“The sad news that political thuggery has claimed lives in Osun state recently is so disheartening and the worrisome part of it is that the state government is not doing anything to put an end to the ugly incidents caused by some political thugs in the states.

“It is a cast down to learn that the Osun State government has not made any statement concerning those who have lost their lives to political thugs in the state within the last few months neither did the government give warning and instead, the government is empowering the alleged political thugs with state appointments.

“In point of facts, many state governments are doing the same as that of Osun as they are planning to win their states for their various political parties during the presidential election.

“Involving thugs in government activities is a pure manner of sponsoring violence activities and President Muhammadu Buhari needs to work on this if truly the president wants a peaceful and credible 2023 presidential election,” Omotoyosi stated.

He further alleged that instead of the Osun government finding a lasting solution to the political thuggery in the state, it still empowered the evil perpetrators.

“The worse is that the governments in power in Osun and Oyo have never for once addressed the issues of those that have lost lives to political thuggery in the state despite that the news is viral on social media with viable evidence.

“This is dangerous!”

He, therefore, implored the governments of the affected states to wake up and protect lives, stressing that citizens and residents of the states are living in fear.

“This ugly situation needs urgent attention because the elections are around the corner. A plan to have free and fair elections, a lasting solution should be found to correct this bad act and for them not to be used as instruments of destruction before, during and after the electioneering processes.

“Those who have lost their breadwinners, promising children and husbands to political thuggery in the last few months in the states mentioned above and those who lost their people to banditry in the north and unknown gunmen in the east are the ones who can state how exactly violence activities are a threat to our society.

“The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria has become an international discussion and it is going to be a kudos to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari if he can at the end of the day deliver a peaceful and fair election and this is why he needs to cut out political thuggery in those areas that thuggery has been reported several times,” he concluded.