Nationwide Protest: PUWOV Apologizes To Obayuwana, Edo Civil Society

By The9haTrend

Edo State government agency, Public Works Volunteers Scheme (PUWOV) has tender unreserved apologies to Edo State former Attorney-General, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana and the entire Civil Societies across the State over Monday 31st, May, 2021 fracas  between some members of PUWOV and the activists at the New Benin axis of the state capital.

In a statement issued and signed by the Edo State Coordinator of the  the government agency, Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie reads,  "Our attention has been drawn to a video clip trending on the social media wherein some of our officials were involved in an encounter with some members of the Edo State branch of  Civil Society Actors and Human Right Activists who were on a protest March at the New Benin area of the state capital."

"As a very responsible Agency of the Edo State government and in resonance with Mr. Governor's belief in the Rule of Law and respect for citizens' rights, we indeed regret whatever may have transpired on that said date which was occasioned by a distress call received by our intelligence unit to the effect that some suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were gathering around the New Benin area to disrupt the peace of the area. 

"In a bid to be proactive and prevent any possible breakdown of law and order in the area, it is believed that our officials on duty who were ordinarily acting in good faith, may have overzealously, acted in an unprofessional manner, not minding the laid-down mode of operations of the agency.

"We condemn the actions of these officials, in strong terms, and hereby  tender our unreserved apology to the entire members of these Bodies, in general and most expecially, our highly respected Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, a foremost Human Rights Activist, a former Attorney- General of Edo State and a very distinguished legal practitioner, who we hold in high esteem," the statement opined.

 It would be recalled that members of the Civil Society in Edo State joined their counterparts across the country on a peaceful National March to protest the state of the Nation which later led to a face off between the protesters and some officials of PUWOV.