The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams on Wednesday, said armed terrorists now occupy Kishi, located in North West of Oyo State, as vaat as Old Oyo National Park.
He said the recent development pose a great danger to the
security of the entire South West area.
Aare Gani Adams said in the past few days, the armed groups
have engaged in kidnapping of locals apart from threatening their livelihood
and access to forest resources.
He said children, the aged and women are the most hit by the
violent activities of the armed groups.
"I have received numerous reports from Kishi, North
West of Oyo State. The reports range from ceaseless kidnapping, rape and threat
to lives of Yoruba people in the Oke Ogun area with Kishi as the present hub of
terrorist attacks. It's my responsibility to alert the public and also the
relevant authorities" Aare Gani Adams said in the statement signed by his
Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi.
Iba Gani Adams, expressed worry that the region is
gradually becoming a haven for bandits
and terrorists masquerading as herdsmen. He warned that the situation must be
nipped in the bud to prevent the South West taking the ignoble part of the
North East and the North West areas of Nigeria where violence has taken a firm
root.
He said what appears like the gathering of armed groups in
the area will affect the stability of the entire South West region.
Aare Gani Adams said Oyo State has the largest land mass in
Yorubaland with an area of 28,454 square
kilometers and listed as the 14th by size among the 36 states of the Federation.
He said the occupation of Oyo State by terrorists will strengthen their
infiltration of the entire South West
He said the area retains a traditional route that links
Sokoto State and also borders Ogun State, South of Kwara State and the Republic
of Benin and in the East by Osun State.
Aare Gani Adams said the area harbours the Oyo park
which is 2,512 km2 of land covering Northern Oyo
at latitude 8° 15’ and 9° 00’N and longitude 3° 35’ and 4° 42’ E which
stretches to Kwara State.
He said the occupation of the land by armed groups is an
assault on Yoruba heritage and civilization, saying that part of the forest
host the sacred tabernacle of ancient Yoruba Alaafin whose graves were located
in parts of the forest.
He said recent intelligence report at his disposal indicate that the terrorists are now visible
at the Old Oyo Game Reserve at Sooro village in Kishi town, Irepo Local
Government of Oyo State.
He said "I have confirmed intelligence reports that the
historic Kishi town has been
ravaged by terrorists. "Killing and kidnapping of over
a hundred people is frightening and worrisome " he said
He stated further that he has raised the alarm for the
second time in two weeks.
"The records are there.The recent Intelligence report
from Kishi is too frightening because terrorists have taken over the area, with
the number of victims growing by the day. We need to react to this senseless
killings because of the timing and exigencies. I have sent the report to the
Oyo state governor, Eng. Seyi Makinde. I have also alerted the Director General
of Amotekun in Oyo state. I have also
informed the Alaafin of Oyo, His imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, through
a message to Alaafin's Personal Assistant, and I have informed the Okere of
Saki", he said
He said his action is to tell all those concerned about the
security situation in the area to respond decisively.
Earlier, the Aare in Council had, after a recent
meeting, raised the alarm about the security situation in the region,
expressing worry that the Federal Government has failed to address the various
security challenges in the area.
Speaking further Adams said : "The
Aare in Council had earlier raised the alarm on the infiltration of terrorists
and killer Fulani herdsmen in the region.The council said over 500 power bikes
and assorted Armour belonging to the terrorists have been physically sighted
along the abandoned Lusada route moving towards Sokoto, from Igbo Ora in Oyo
State."
The recent report, he maintained, came from Kishi, a town
that shares boundary with Ibariba.
The Yoruba leader, however, urged all Yoruba sons and
daughters in the southwest and beyond not to relent in their efforts in
providing necessary information that are capable of exposing the terrorists,
assuring that he would surely channel the information to the appropriate
quarters.
"With the present situation, I think there is urgent
need for the state government to address the spate of insecurity in the area.
We are ready to support the government in keeping the terrorists at bay.
With the approval of the Oyo state government and other relevant security agencies, I can mobilize
the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG) comprising the Oodua Peoples Congress,
Vigilante Group,South West Hunters Association, Yoruba Youth Council, Agbekoya
Farmers Society Group,and Agbekoya Group to complement the efforts of the
security agencies and ensure effective
security and safety of the area by flushing out the criminal elements and
terrorists that are invading our reserve forest and old Oyo National Park which
is our heritage in the southwest.",Aare Gani Adams said.
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