Kwara not in a hurry to lift ban on curfew — Commissioner

Kwara State Government says it may not completely lift the curfew imposed on the state, unless it gets a favourable security report, the Commissioner for Communication, Adenike Afolabi Oshatimehin, has said.

Following the looting of public and private property last week by suspected hoodlums, as an aftermath of the peaceful #EndSARS Campaign in Ilorin, Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq had slammed a 24-hour curfew across the Local Council Areas.

The order, enforced by the Army, was later reduced to movement restriction between 8am and 6pm, before the further extension time from 6am to 8pm.

In a chat with The Guardian yesterday, in Ilorin, the Commissioner who lauded the people of the state for their compliance with the curfew regulations, urged them to be patient with the government, adding that only advice from the state Security Council could put an end to the restriction of movements.

He said: “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the state, like many others, value the lives and property of the people of the state.

He will, therefore, not rush into taking any hasty decision on the security issues.

“There is a council on security issues in the state. The body in its wisdom will give the proper advice at the appropriate time before the eventual total relaxation order of the curfew will be given. We appreciate our people for all their cooperation so far on this.”

Unconfirmed sources told The Guardian that the curfew might be lifted by the middle of the week, but with a caveat that “provided, all the issues bordering on peace have been accomplished.”