The owner of Chronicles Restaurant inside the Palms Shopping Mall Ilorin, Youssef Sanders, has said that the police misunderstood him by arresting him on Tuesday.
Sanders told newsmen Ilorin on Friday that there was an issue with a customer at the restaurant shortly before the arrival of the police which he had directed one of his staff to get the security agents stationed within the mall to curb the situation.
It would be recalled that the Kwara Command of the Nigeria Police had deployed their personnel to the mall on Tuesday evening to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
There were reports of attacks on presumed businesses believed to be owned by South Africans over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
“When I came out to see that the police are already picking my customers inside Chronicles Restaurant, I was surprised.
“It was at this point I was about telling the police that I was the one who requested for them to come curb the customer’s misconduct.
“They got agitated and did not listen. This was when I realised they were not the operatives stationed within the mall.
“Hence, I realised they were not the people I had previously requested for.
“Before I knew anything, the police were already harassing me, my staff and customers, it was at that point I had to sacrifice myself to protect my customers from further assaults” Sanders explained.
Sanders who was later released that night (Tuesday), thanked some of the shop owners at the mall for standing by him on the night.
“I want to sincerely thank the owners of Felsunny (Felix Ayeniko), Favors(LG showroom),Yinka Abolarin, Dr. Olokooba, Alh Wahab Oba, Alh Tajudeen Gurumoh, Dotun Adewunmi(Noktel Hotels), HairSense (Ahmad Lawal), Just Interiors (Tunji Quadri), Reocakes (Esther Ajani), Shoprite Manager, the mall management, customers and staff for their support that night.
“I am grateful to The Nigerian police too for helping to keep law and order, especially by not allowing the mall to be under any form of attack despite some devastating reports across the country” Youssef Sanders added.
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