Self-determination groups in the Southwest, under the aegis of Yoruba Assembly, have expressed serious concerns over the worsening security situation in the region, stressing that the only solution to addressing cases of kidnapping, banditry, and other crimes, which have become rampant in the country, is through the establishment of State Police.
The self-determination groups made this position known on Thursday at a two-day parley, tagged: “Western Nigeria Global Summit on Security and Livelihood, Lagos-Jebba-Warri,” which took place in Lagos and was attended by members drawn from across the region. They also pleaded with the Southwest governors to support the establishment of State Police.
Speakers at the summit, including the Lead Convener, Comrade Wale Oshun; Comrade Adewale Adeoye; Rasaq Olokooba; President of Afenifere National Youth Council, Prince Eniola Ojajuni; Comrade Akinpelu Adesina; Deji Omotoyinbo; Dr Olatunde Hamzat, among others, maintained that it was high time the Yoruba rallied together to address the security challenges in the region.
The various speakers, while emphasising that there should be no time for excuses anymore, equally demanded that state governors and local government chairmen take charge of their territories as Chief Security Officers (CSOs) of their states and council areas. They stated that should there be any security lapses in any of the domains, whoever failed in their territory should be held accountable.
The Lead Convener of the summit, Comrade Oshun, while noting the dire security challenges confronting the region, stressed that the Southwest had a lot of work to do in securing the region. He maintained that one of the reasons for convening the meeting was the senseless killings in the region, which have continued unabated.
Oshun, who called for a minute’s silence in honour of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, sadly noted that available security reports stated that Fulani herdsmen engaged in kidnapping had 53 camps across Southwest forests, describing such development as worrisome.
He further noted that statistics indicated that funds available to kidnappers as ransom collected from those kidnapped in the last year amounted to ₦2.2 trillion. He expressed the belief that the largest part of the money must have come from victims kidnapped in the Southwest region, with more than 77 per cent of people kidnapped being from rural areas—a situation which, he said, had made many farmers stop going to their farms due to fear of being kidnapped or killed.
Oshun stated that the creation of State Police had become imperative if the government was strongly committed to putting an end to the spate of insecurity and kidnapping in the region. He stressed that only State Police could effectively secure the region, as they would be more familiar with the terrain.
One of the conveners, Comrade Adeoye, in his speech, lamented the security challenges facing the region, recalling that Southwest forests had, in the past, been a huge resource, “but not anymore because of the security threats.”
According to him, the region had been invaded, saying that the people of the Southwest were tired of those he described as armed invaders and nomadic terrorists. He emphasised the urgent need to address the menace, which he said the summit was all about.
“For the past 15 years, agricultural and farm produce have suffered a serious decline due to the activities of those who are bent on taking our land from us. Going to the farm is not easy anymore,” he said.
Also speaking, Comrade Olokooba stated that the essence of self-determination is to secure the people of the country. He called on the Federal Government to empower all recognised and registered security outfits in the land and arm them to defend the people, particularly against external aggression or kidnapping.
Prince Ojajuni, on his part, demanded urgent action to put a stop to what he termed “this lawlessness of the Fulani herdsmen.”
The Afenifere youth leader, who was recently rescued from the den of kidnappers, sadly recalled that nine of them were kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen and made to trek several kilometres in the bush without a destination.
“That was how we started the journey that lasted for several days,” he said.
He further alleged that ransoms were paid close to checkpoints before he was finally released by the kidnappers.
“Every leader of Yoruba and people of the region must rise up and confront the security challenges in the Southwest. If Governor Rotimi Akeredolu were to be around now, he would have rallied all the governors of the Southwest to address the current security situation in the region.
“Their priority is to protect the lives and property of their people. The Fulani herdsmen told me the number of camps they have in the Southwest is numbering 23. It is time the Yoruba must stand up and defend our territory,” he said.
A chieftain of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Comrade Akinpelu Adesina, in his remarks, called for the establishment of what he termed the Southwest Security Trust Fund to enable the region to adequately finance the Amotekun Security outfit.
He said doing this would enable the security outfit to deliver on its mandate to effectively and efficiently secure the Southwest region from the invaders, who he also said were out to take over Yoruba land.
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