Date: 2020-10-26

The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has condemned,in its strongest term, the mindless looting and destruction of some government facilities and business establishments across the city of Ilorin over the weekend by those it called unscrupulous people hiding under the guise of protest against police brutality.

The Union said that it was very clear that the criminality was perpetuated by hardened criminals and not the peaceful protesters who had conducted themselves with civility and decorum before the process was unfortunately hijacked as the victims of the incident also joined the Union in expressing doubt that any indigene of Ilorin could either partake or encourage such criminality.

A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Union, Abubakar Imam, quoted the National President of the Union, Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman, fsi,as stating the position on Monday(October 26,2020) when he led a delegation of the National Executive Council of the Union on sympathy visit to victims of the unfortunate incident at their various places of business.

Alhaji Uthman,who led the delegation to the popular Shoprite on Fate Road as well as Fonemart and Femtech on Taiwo Road, among other places,said that the development was not only "a distasteful episode in the history of Ilorin but an instance that was completely at variance with the character and characteristics of the good people of Ilorin Emirate who are generally known as law-abiding and peace loving".

The community leader said that the incident came to the Union as an "indescribable surprise",adding that it was not only "despicable and unreasonable but also absolutely unacceptable".He added that all hands must be on deck towards ensuring that such a dastardly act is not allowed to rear its ugly head again.

Alhaji Uthman,while saying that the Union was perfecting a mechanism through which greater support would be granted the constituted authorities towards ensuring that its geographical jurisdiction is more secured,commiserated with the victims of the incidents.

The retired Director of the Department of State Services said that the community would not condoned any form of criminality, adding that the weekend incident was "uncalled for and a terrible tendency",which must be condemned in its entirety.

He added that the Union decided to pay the visit to enable it adequately assess the level of damages and interact with those who are directly affected and sympathise with them on behalf of the entire people of Ilorin Emirate who are still in shock that such a terrible act could happened on their soil.

The IEDPU President also sympathised with the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, on the unfortunate development. Alhaji Uthman appreciated the Governor for the decision of his government to support the victims through the sum of N500,000,000:00 it has set aside and other measures ,which,he said, would go a long way in augmenting other efforts being made here and there to bring back their businesses into shape.

The IEDPU President also commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji(Dr)Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR,over the unfortunate incident, praying that may the Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State never witness such a development again.

Responding,the Operation Manager of Shoprite,Mr Banji Aiyenitaju, who stood in for the Ilorin Shoprite Center Manager,Mr.Shakiru Gbadamosi, expressed the appreciations of the management and staff of the outfit to the IEDPU leadership for deeming it fit to pay them a sympathy visit. At Fonemart, the Auditor of the firm,Mrs Funmi Oguniyi ,who received the IEDPU delegation on behalf of the Chief Executive of the business enterprise,said that she and her colleagues were quite sure that the attacks were planned and executed by outsiders, saying that Ilorin was too peaceful, as a community, for such a terrible incident to be perpetrated by its indigenes.