A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Bamisile, has called for military intervention to stem the tide of incessant kidnapping of constituents along the border post of Emure-Eporo-Emure-Ile axis of Ekiti State.
Bamisile, who represents Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East Federal Constituency, said such traumatizing transborder kidnappings can only be tamed through a stationary military post along that section of the State.
The Federal Lawmaker made these remarks in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, condemning the recent abduction of some Ekiti residents between Emure and Eporo Ekiti, in Emure Local Government Area of the State.
Espousing his views on the sordid scenarios, Bamisile said the escalating abductions began with the kidnapping of eight pupils, teachers, and a driver of a nursery and primary school along that axis in 2023, and have since snowballed into a regular occurrence now constituting a monster to his constituents.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Delegated Legislation appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji to step up efforts and rein in those constituting threats to the citizens along that axis, as he determinedly did in the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele section.
“Before now, the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of Ekiti State was the worst hit by the activities of these terror gangs, but Governor Biodun Oyebanji, in partnership with the federal government, deployed military to that zone, and today, residents can now sleep with their two eyes closed.
“But the Emure Ekiti axis is gradually becoming a monster that must be confronted head-on. We are also using our contacts here in Abuja to call the attention of the concerned federal government agencies to these senseless and terror attacks on my people.
“We all know that the Ise-Emure-Gbonyin axis remains the best cocoa belt in Ekiti State. And once the farmers can no longer access their farms, this could affect the residents of this area in terms of income generation.
“Something urgent must be done to ensure this abduction doesn’t assume this dangerous dimension.”
Bamisile appealed to the communities in the area to rally their local hunters to work with the conventional security operatives to arrest those turning the area into a flashpoint and hotspot for kidnappers.
He urged the residents to provide accurate information to the security formations about any fifth columnists among the locals who may be working in cahoots with these criminal elements to terrorize the populace.