A counter protest was staged in Offa Tuesday in response to the first protest against the invitation of the Senate President Bukola Saraki by the police headquarters in Abuja.
Saraki, the police said on Sumday, was indicted by the five leaders of the gang that robbed banks in Offa, and killed no fewer than 30 people, including nine police men in the raid.
The Tuesday’s protesters marched from the Iyeru-Okin African LGEA Primary School, Offa, through Ibrahim Taiwo Road, to Idi Ogun, through Yidi Praying Ground to Owode Market, and then to the Palace of Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi.
Placards with different inscriptions flew as the sang the praise of the police in the rally coordinated by the Association of Concerned Offa Indigenes Home and Abroad.
Some of the inscriptions read: ‘Injustice is dead, justice must prevail,’ ‘RIP to the victims, Saraki is questionable,’ and ‘We cannot trade on injustice.’
The spokesperson for the group,Muyideen Babalola, in a speech entitled, ‘The wind has blown, the back of the fowl has been exposed,’ said Saraki’s invitation by the police was in order.
“The obnoxious act of April 5, 2018, when armed robbers came to Offa, killing over 50 of our dear sons and daughters and some police officers, has taken a toll on us,’ he said.
“In whatever we do, our past has a way of catching up with us like a shadow. God has answered our prayers in Offa. Our cries have been heard.”
Femi Whyte, another leadr of the group, also said they were marching for justice, adding that the blood of the dead was crying for revenge.
“Since April 5 that the robbers attacked Offa… economic activities of the community have been adversely affected, as banks have remained closed. Our people are being subjected to the pain of travelling to other towns to access money,” said Whyte.
“Due to the unrelenting efforts of the Nigeria Police Force… the miscreants have been nabbed… and in the course of police investigation, some top politicians were mentioned to be remotely connected with the robbery.
According to him, these indicted politicians mobilised some political jobbers to protest in their favour to jeopardise the ongoing investigation by the Nigeria police.
“It is pertinent to state here without any ambiguity that Offa people are totally against the shameless rally that took place in Offa yesterday (Monday).”
He said all well-meaning sons and daughters of Offa are in support of the efforts of the police to get to the root of the matter.