In response to the abduction of six schoolchildren, three teachers, and their driver, the Ondo State security unit, known as Amotekun, mobilized 100 personnel to Ekiti State.
Chief Adetunji Adeleye, the Commander of Ondo Amotekun, announced this while presenting 31 apprehended suspects, stating that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had authorized the operation.
Concurrently, the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji for local empowerment to enhance security, a sentiment endorsed by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who advocated for community policing.
Meanwhile, Emure-Ekiti, the community where the abduction occurred, initiated an extensive search effort led by community elders to locate the missing individuals.
In light of concerns expressed by the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, regarding the encroachment of gunmen into the South-West, with potential implications for Lagos, Amotekun commanders reiterated the urgent need for state police establishment to combat criminal activities effectively.
Adeleye said: “Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has ordered that we deploy Amotekun personnel to work with their counterparts in Ekiti to secure the release of the pupils and arrest killers of the monarchs.
“Some days ago, we had an unfortunate incident in Ekiti and the governor of Ondo State directed us to move in the interest of brotherliness to assist in the security situation in Ekiti State. We deployed 100 personnel to assist the Ekiti command.
“We’ve been there in the last 48 hours. Some arrests have been made and we will continue until the perpetrators of these dastardly acts are arrested.”
“I want to assure the good people of Ondo State that there is no problem. The state is safe. But, they must report any suspicious movement in their environment to us in time, so that we can be proactive and ensure that before it gets out of hand, this is nipped in the bud.
“We have a sudden upsurge of visitors coming in from different parts of the country, in the name of hunting. The state government had made it clear that anybody that will carry out any activity in the forest reserves must take permission,” he added.
Adeleye, serving as both the chairman of Amotekun commanders in the South-West, emphasized that the key to addressing insecurity in the nation, particularly in the South-West, lies in instituting state police forces.
“With state policing, we will be able to go to the grassroots, and it will be easy for us to track down all these criminals in our society. We should not forget that Amotekun is both a conventional and unconventional security outfit. On the issue of weapons, once state policing is approved, there will be no limitation to the equipment they can use in combating crimes,” he said.
Similarly, the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers has urged the Ekiti State government to provide adequate resources to empower the monarchs in addressing insecurity within their communities.
This call was articulated in a communique endorsed by its Chairman, Oba Ayorinde Ilori Faboro, the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, following an emergency meeting convened by Governor Oyebanji, which saw the participation of the top echelon of the state security agencies.
The council strongly denounced the killings of its members and the abduction of school children, while demanding that authorities at all levels ensure the apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators.
Furthermore, they advocated for concerted actions aimed at purging Ekiti forests of bandits and kidnappers.
The communique read in part: “The Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers was deeply saddened by the murder of two of its members, HRM Oba Samuel Olusola Olatunji, the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti, and HRM Oba David Ogunsakin, the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti and the abduction of school children and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti same day Monday January 29, 2024.
“Council calls on Governments at all levels to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law in no distant time.
“Council further calls on the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to Ekiti as the state is generally under-policed. Council demands that the State Government should empower traditional rulers with adequate resources to police and secure their domains.”
(VANGUARD)