Ondo state has had the ugly, the bitter and pleasant experiences of insecurity. BARNABAS OLABISI reports about them all.
Insecurity has become a common cliche on the lips of every Nigerian of which residents of Ondo state are not excepted owing to cases of abduction, armed attack, kidnapping and herdsmen/farmers clashes.
The recent terrorists attack that claimed over 40 lives of innocent worshipers at the Saints Francis Catholic church Owo has remained indelible to the indigenes.
Few days ago, scores of children were allegedly found in an underground apartment of a church in Valentino area of Ondo town. It was gathered that the children were allegedly kidnapped and kept in that underground apartment.
Commenting on the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami, said the Force got a wind of the issue and immediately swung into action to rescue the children.
In the process, it was reported that the two pastors involved were arrested and are currently helping the command in its investigation. The statement noted that the police was yet to get a clear picture of activities of the two men. According to the PPRO “Abduction is not a small offence, but for us not to mislead the public, we need to investigate the issue and get the true picture of what happened.
“The fact remains that there was a report about the church and the people around reacted and we went there to ascertain this, but we just need to investigate and unravel the facts about the incident. We would make our fndings public after the investigations.”
In November 26, 2020 at Elegbeka in Ose local government area, a prominent monarch in the state, Oba Adegoke Adelusi while returning to his domain after a meeting in Akure, was attacked and killed.
The late traditional ruler was crowned in 1997 and had reigned for 23 years before his death.
His death created several controversies, especially after the Special Police Intelligence Squad at the Force Headquarters invited five traditional leaders of Ifon community in relation to allegation of a threat to the life of a herdsman in the community.
The chiefs included Olaniyi Olotu, the secretary of Ifon Council of Chiefs; Olijewu; Saliu Omotosho; Ekon and the chief hunter of the community. All these were invited to answer questions on missing cows said to belong to one herder named Abdullahi.
The chiefs had through their lawyers raised alarm over the invitation, querying their invitation, asking why the police could not find the killers of their monarch but quick to summon them over missing cows.
They also queried why the Force Headquarters would be involved in a matter that could be handled by the command in the state.
When the matter appeared to have been swept under the carpet like many other murder cases, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu raised the matter with a vow to unmask killers of the traditional ruler.
As if that is all, a High Court in Akure recently sentenced three persons to death for killing Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti killed by the convicts along Benin-Ore-Sagamu Expressway in Ore June 2019 on her way to Lagos. The convicts were also found guilty of killing one Mathew Ogunbiyi whom they murdered gruesomely in the bush.
Initially four persons- Muhammed Usman, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu and Awalu Abubakar were arrested by the police and charged to court for the offence. They were arraigned on eight counts bordering on murder, armed robbery and kidnapping.
Series of kidnapping, banditry, attack, abduction and assault by herdsmen have been reported across the state, especially northern axis where thousands of farmers have deserted their farms thereby affecting the economy of the state.
Need for inter-agency synergy – Army
In a bid to stem the tide of insecurity, the Nigerian Army called for more synergy among heads of all the security agencies in the state with a view to finding a sustainable solution to the issue.
Major General Anthony Omozoje, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan made the call early in the year during the inter-agency interactive workshop for Exercise Crocodile Smile VI, organised by the army in Akure.
Omozoje said it had become imperatives for all the security agencies in the country, particularly those in Ondo, to work together and ensure adequate provision of security emphasising that kidnapping and killing must be curtailed.
“We are all working towards achieving the same purpose. It is only when we synergise and work together that we would be able to fulfill our mandates. We would definitely achieve better results when we collaborate,” he noted.
The GOC, who said that the head of the security agencies in the state had agreed to step up their operations, promised that security challenges current facing the state would soon become a thing of the past.
A disturbing development – Indo gov’t
In his remarks, Gov Akeredolu, who was represented by his special adviser on security, Mr Jimoh Dojumo, appealed to security agencies to put more efforts in curtailing the rate of insecurity in the state.
Akeredolu, who described Ondo as one of the most peaceful states in the country before the recent EndSARS protests, said that the state must be rescued by security agencies.
“The issue of insecurity in Ondo state is part of the aftermath of EndSARS protests and there is no area in the state that is left out. This is more than disturbing.You should please put more efforts at ensuring that what had happened in the state in the past is not allowed to happen again,” he posited.
The governor promised his administration’s readiness to support the security agencies to ensure security of lives and property in the state.
Respite through Amotekun
Since the inauguration of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) code-named Amotekun which is a security outfit based in all the six states of the South-west, it has been responsible for curbing insecurity in the region. It was founded on 9 January 2020 as the first regional security outfit for the region.
At the moment, investigation reveals that majority of farmers that have been chased out of their farmlands in the three senatorial districts areas are gradually returning to their farms unlike in the past when herdsmen chased them out of their farms, destroyed farm produce and burnt them.
It will also be recalled that the former secretary to government of federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae had a close shave with death as he was attacked and abducted on September 21, 2015 where he remained in captivity for over four days before he was released after a ransome of five million naira was allegedly paid.
Since the inauguration of Amotekun corps in Ondo under the leadership of Chief Adetunji Adeleye, the citizens seem to have a lease of life as they are able to go about their normal duties and farmers back to their farms.
A community leader in Olufoam area in Akure, Elder Ayeni Olatubosun, noted that the corps has been very effective at maintaining security across the length and breath of the 18 local government areas.
He noted that the importance of the corps is like community policing that every citizen has been yearning for.
Also, Governor Akeredolu who also doubles as chairman of South-west Governors Forum, has called for state police, saying it is not for self aggrandisement, but a reality of time.
In the meantime, as part of measures put in place by the state government to curtail various security challenges that might occur in public places across the state, the governor has directed that all public offices, schools, churches be installed with close circuit television (CCTV) at their facilities. The order was made shortly after the Owo church massacre.
Akeredolu condemned the recent attack on President Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy by bandits in Kastina state last Tuesday.
