Some South West governors and ministers have arrived in Lagos State on a commiseration visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu following attacks by hoodlums on various private and state-owned facilities across the metropolis.

The governors and ministers on Sunday met with Governor Sanwo-Olu at the government house in Marina.

Those present include; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Rauf Aregbesola the Minister of the Interior, Babatunde Fashola the Minister of Power and Housing, Olorunmibe Mamowora the Minister of State for Health and Niyi Adebayo the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment.

Others include Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, and Olamilekan Adebite, Minister of Mines and Steel.

The ministers present said they were directed by the Federal Government to carry out an on the spot assessment tour on the damaged infrastructure, following the hijacking of the #EndSars protest.

As part of the tour, the entourage stopped over at the Nigerian Port Authority Office and the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre that was set ablaze by hoodlums.

Southwest Governors on Sunday said the regression into savagery leading to destruction of massive properties in Lagos and other places exposed the region as susceptible to vile manipulations by elements keenly anxious to annihilate the South West and destroy her common heritage.

The Southwest governors had paid a visit on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to commiserate with him over the mayhem that occurred in Lagos occasioned by #EndSARS protest.

Chairman, Southwest Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, who read the resolution of the governors to newsmen, lamented that the protest by #EndSARS was hijacked by some people ostensibly to execute a destructive design.

“This regression into savagery exposes our land as not only vulnerable, but susceptible to vile manipulations by elements keenly anxious to annihilate the South West and destroy our common heritage.

“We are deeply concerned with the ease with which public buildings, utilities, police stations and Investments of our people have been burnt despite the proximity of security agencies in those areas. We call on the heads of all security agencies to be alive to their obligations to defend the country.

“We charge the relevant security agencies to investigate all cases of violence with a view to identifying the culprits.. We are particularly worried that 48 hours, after the unfortunate incident at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos by persons adorning military fatigue, there has been no definitive statement from the military authorities on the incident. Our anxiety becomes heightened by the categorical denial of the Governor of Lagos State concerning the deployment. No Governor has power to authorize deployment of military personnel in Nigeria,” he said.

Akeredolu said as reports from relevant agencies and action of government were being awaited, the governors appealed to the young ones again to suspend the #EndSARS protest, remain calm and be vigilant, as violation of people’s rights and incidence of police brutality had been complied with.

He added that recent development left the governors with no other option than to believe that there might have been other reasons for the continued protests, well coordinated and funded.

“The spread of fake news and videos, which followed an allegation of shooting by some soldiers with acclaimed heavy casualty figure at the Lekki Toll Gate, Victoria Island, Lagos, is primarily responsible for the subsequent loss of lives and property.

“We commiserate with the families of victims of violence across Lagos State and slain policemen. We pray that the Almighty grants them the fortitude to bear these avoidable losses. We also note, with much pain and sadness, the vast and spreading destruction of property belonging to notable individuals and vestiges of our collective patrimony and pride.

“We commiserate with His Royal Majesty, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, on the sacrilege committed at his palace and condemn in no unmistakable terms the vile attack on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and destruction of businesses where it is believed he has interest, TVC, The Nation, to mention a few,” he added.

Akeredolu said the governors noted with great relief, the confirmation by Sanwo-Olu that no fatality was recorded at the Lekki Toll Gate incident based on visits to hospitals, mortuaries, both private and public.

“There were no doubt of different levels of injury to persons arising from the incident at the Lekki Toll Gate. Consequently, we insist that full investigation be conducted to ascertain the veracity of the news items liberally circulated by some local media.

“It is becoming very clear that the conflagration may have been caused by deliberate deployment of weapon of mass confusion” apology to Dr. Ope Banwo. The attendant damage was extensive and massive.

“The selective application of jungle justice raises suspicion as regards the real motive of the arsonists and vandals. We use this medium to appeal to the youth, especially those of South West extraction, to be circumspect lest they lend themselves to the evil schemes of those who want to destroy our land.

“The protests started off as genuine, demanding reformation and restitution. The current happenings across the South West, especially Lagos State, have exposed dubiousness and complicity evidencing malice aforethought. We enjoin our youth’s rise up to defend our land and people against the diabolical incursions ravaging our space.

“What do we stand to gain destroying ourselves? We cannot continue to fold our hands and watch our heritage destroyed and our people suffer. We must engage, constructively, all those whose dubious solutions to solve problem is the descent to anarchy,” he said.

Shock! This was the expression on the faces of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) members from Southwest and Governors as they toured the public assets and private properties destroyed in Wednesday’s coordinated arson in Lagos State.

The Governors and the Ministers were in Lagos on Sunday to commiserate with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the large-scale destruction of public and private facilities by hoodlums who had hijacked the #EndSARS protests by youths.

The delegation of Governors and Ministers was personally received by Sanwo-Olu at the State House in Marina, where the Lagos helmsman showed them the pictorial evidence of the violence before visiting some the torched assets – the Lagos High Court, the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) building and the Forensic Lab.

Many sighed endlessly; others were simply shaking their heads. Some brought their phones and took photographs of the “scene of war”.

At a joint press conference held after the tour, chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, likened Lagos to a war zone, given the extent of the destruction.

He said the violence that resulted from the EndSARS protest left much to be desired, stressing that there was an agenda beyond the youth demonstration against police brutality.

He said: “We are deeply concerned with the ease with which public buildings, utilities, police stations and investment of our people have been burnt despite the proximity of security agencies in those areas. The development leaves us with no other option than to believe that there may be other reasons for continued protests, well coordinated and funded.

“We are particularly worried that 48 hours after the unfortunate incident at the Lekki Toll Gate by persons adorning military outfit, there has been no definitive statement from the military authorities on the incident. Our anxiety becomes heightened by the categorical denial of the Governor of Lagos State concerning the military deployment. No Governor has powers to authorise deployment of military personnel in Nigeria.”

The Governors also condemned “sacrilegious” attack on the palace of the Oba of Lagos and decried what they called “vile attack” on All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and businesses in which he has interest.

Akeredolu said the regression into savagery exposed Southwest’s vulnerability to manipulation by divisive elements bent on annihilating the region’s economic prosperity and destroying its common heritage.

The Governors applauded Sanwo-Olu for his patience and the manner with which he handled the situation.

The Forum demanded an investigation into the circumstances that led to the destruction of public assets and private businesses in Lagos.

“We commend Gov. Sanwo-Olu for his administrative acumen. We note his patience and understanding in the face of unwarranted provocation by agents of darkness. We stand resolutely with him at this trying period. We urged our youths to rise up and defend our land against diabolical incursion ravaging our space. We cannot continue to fold our hands and watch our heritage destroyed,” Akeredolu said.

The Southwest Governors unanimously disowned the war-mongering rhetoric of a man, Adeyinka Grandson, in a video circulating in the social media.

They urged the Yoruba and non-Yoruba residents in the Southwest to disregard the threat of violence issued in the video, saying the “secessionist” had no authority to speak for the Yoruba.

Akeredolu said: “The element (Adeyinka Grandson) has no authority to speak on our behalf. We call on our brothers who are non-Yoruba natives to go about their normal businesses with out fear. Southwest region will continue to be made habitable for all.”

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, said the visit was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that words were not enough to describe the extent of the destruction wreaked by the arsonists.

Fashola hailed Sanwo-Olu for his “untiring effort” to restore peace in the State, cautioning those posting inflammatory comments in the social media to desist from the act. He urged all Lagos residents to unite and collectively address the cause of the violence, stressing that the State Government needed the support of all in unraveling the truth.

Other Governors in the delegation included Oyo and Ekiti states, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Other FEC members, who visited Sanwo-Olu include Minister for Sport and Youth Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, Minister for Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora, Minister of State for Niger Delta, Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura, and Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who also visited Sanwo-Olu, condemned the violence and destruction of properties in Lagos.

Gbajabiamila, who was accompanied by members of the House of Representatives from Lagos State, urged people not to read ethnic dimension to the issue, promising that the lower chamber of the National Assembly would do all within its power in rebuilding Lagos and other states affected by the violence.

He said: “This certainly is not Lagos State of our dream that we all talk about. I believe that no matter brave or face anyone put into it, even the protesters have their regrets that things went this far. From my understanding and from what I have seen, those who were for the protests and those who did not join were all affected. It is very unfortunate to see the level of destruction.”