Insecurity: Use African measures to fight kidnapping, banditry — OPC

Vows to protect Yorubaland

By Shina Abubakar & James Ogunnaike

OSOGBO— COORDINATOR of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, in Osun State, Mr. Leke Akintayo, yesterday, blamed the Federal Government for the spate of insecurity in the country, just as he noted that African measures, if properly harnessed, can end the killings across the country.

Fielding questions from journalists in Osogbo, Osun State, he said the increase in killings, banditry, kidnappings and other forms of challenges bedeviling the country was because the Federal Government had pampered criminals, rather than dealing with them appropriately.

READ ALSOPetrol price: Why implementation of 20% hike in freight cost is delayed

Akintoye said: “The Federal Government is to blame for the daily killings because rather than allowing the wrath of the law to catch up with those fomenting trouble and creating crisis, it pampered and channeled money into rehabilitating them. This singular act made crime more attractive to the unemployed youths across the country

“Presently, there is unity between the different Oodua People’s Congress in the state, as well as other local security groups in the bid to fight crime. If given the necessary support, we can use African Juju to resolve the incessant killings across the country

“We are ready to collaborate with the police and other security agencies. We have been doing it but the government needs to support us. We need logistics. We need money to procure all the necessary gadgets, like motorcycles for easy movement to all the nooks and crannies of the state.”

Speaking at a different forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the OPC coordinator, Chief Adesina Jimoh, said they would not watch as people die by installments in the hands of criminals.

Jimoh, however, expressed disappointment that the governments at all levels have failed in securing lives and properties in Ogun state.

He said: “The OPC in Ogun State, under the leadership of the Are Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, hereby declares that enough is enough to kidnappings and other forms of banditry on Oodua land.

“As we are all aware that it is expressly stated in the Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as laws of other countries of the world that security of lives and properties is the primary function of every responsible government, however, in the face of this glaring ineptitude of security agencies in Nigeria, particularly in Ogun State, we are ready to provide an alternative towards securing lives and properties of all the Oodua sons and daughters of Ogun state”.

“We are battle-ready to defend the Yoruba people of Ogun State against all acts of subjugation that may be perpetrated in any form under any guise or name.

“We are convinced that with the wanton killings, kidnapping and raping going on across the country, particularly as it affects Ogun State, the OPC has been pushed to the wall and as such, our level of tolerance is completely exhausted. We are left with no other option than to defend our motherland and all the Oodua sons and daughters.”

The post Insecurity: Use African measures to fight kidnapping, banditry — OPC appeared first on Vanguard News.