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The Are Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, on Wednesday criticised South West governors over their handling of security situation in the region.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan at a security summit tagged, ‘South West Security Stakeholder’s Group,’ Adams said before the issue of insecurity became alarming, he wrote letters to the governors and traditional rulers on the need to prepare ahead “but they all kept mute until the situation went beyond control.”
He stated that it was so worrisome that the leaders had been so reluctant to tackle the insecurity challenges facing the region.
The Are ona Kakanfo noted that the need to rid the South West of criminals informed his decision to commence the South West Security Stakeholder’s Group summits.
He said the first in the series was held in Lagos while the second one held in Ibadan, Oyo State, noting that the summit will move to Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun states.
His words: “I knew that insecurity that was confronting some parts of the country would extend to the South West. I took pain to write to our governors and traditional rulers but no response from them.
“Now that the issue is becoming unbearable, they are now looking for the way forward. I learnt from the grapevine that some of our governors are waiting for approval from the Presidency to involve private security.
“But in my own opinion, the North East has its own private security outfit that is complementing the efforts of the Nigerian Army and the police, even in some parts of North West. At least I know about Hisbah in Kano which has been in existence for long complementing the efforts of law enforcement agencies on Sharia law.
“And on the issue of insecurity peculiar to the South West like kidnapping, unwarranted killings and destruction of farms, increasing cultism and others; if our governors are too reluctant to act, to do the needful about securing life and property, which is their number one responsibility, we as a group and other private security outfits will unite and organise ourselves to send warning signal to these criminals that South West is no more safe for them.
“We will continue to organise ourselves, uniting all other socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, even our traditional leaders and political leaders so that we can start speaking with one voice.
Adams said the problem of the region is that there is no unity, saying “if there is anything that will benefit the North, they will forget political affiliation to pursue such a cause, but it is the other way for us in the South West. However, we will try our best to unite all, irrespective of political affiliation, to pursue common goal, especially in the area of security, economic growth and development.”