THE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has condemned the recent incursion of a gang suspected to be herdsmen into Ekiti State, describing the development as height of provocation of the people of the affected areas.
Oba Adeyemi, who did not mince word in his remarks, said if the trend was not nipped in the bud, it would not only breed discontent, but also amount to deliberate attempt to overrun the ethnic group from which the victims come.
The media, on Friday, was awash with the news of a gang of suspected herdsmen who allegedly barricaded the highway in Ise-Ekiti, in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, during which the unsuspecting commuters were dispossessed of their at gun point.
Although police arrival at the scene of the robbery yielded fruits with the arrest of three suspects, Usman Ibrahim, Ali Salisu and Sidikia Manbagri, the confidence demonstrated during the incident has since heightened apprehension in the town and its neighbours.
While commending the Ekiti State Police Command for its timely intervention, which led to the arrest of the suspects, the traditional ruler called for comprehensive investigation into the matter with a view to unearthing the real motive of the bandits.
“How can you describe this other than provocation? Without sounding sectional, it is not possible for a Yoruba man to mount such an illegal roadblock in the North to rob the people. Or how many Yoruba have been arrested in the North in such illegal act? It is high time the Federal Government declared its stand on this type of attacks,” he said.
Oba Adeyemi stated that Yoruba, from time immemorial, had always been accommodating to non-Yoruba ethnic groups within and outside Nigeria, believing in the power of diversity.
He, however, said the Omoluwabi disposition should not be abused, calling the government to restore confidence of the public in its capability to provide security for their lives and property.
The first-class traditional ruler then acknowledged the ‘Amotekun,’ a Western Nigeria Security Network promoted by the South-West governor, hoping that the the option would improve the security system in the country.
“We have to reschedule a traditional rulers programme scheduled to hold in Oyo to give enough space for the take-off of ‘Amotekun’. What it means is that we want to see how the South-WWest governors would go about it. But if you ask me, I will tell you that we need to strengthen security architecture of the South-west before it is too late,” he said.
