Govt must tackle worsening insecurity in S-West decisively —Oodua Group
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By Dapo Akinrefon
LAGOS — THE Oodua Unity Group, yesterday, decried the worsening insecurity across the South-West, parts of Kogi and Kwara states, saying government at all levels must take decisive action.
It, however, called for local and state policing to tackle the hydra-headed challenge of insecurity in the region.
Rising from a consultative meeting of its leaders in Lagos, the group lamented that persistent insecurity of lives and property across the region was now affecting the economy and livelihood of residents negatively.
The group listed some of the hotspots of insecurity in the region to include Imeko Afon, Alagbede, Iwoye, Tobolo and Ilara areas of Ogun State; and Ikole, Ikere, Igbara-Odo, Itapaji, Eyemoro, Ijan and Ilumoba in Ekiti State.
The group, in a statement by its Communication Secretary, Kola Aare, noted that the situation had become so bad that people now feel unsafe travelling on roads, going to their farms or even sleeping at night in some communities.
The group explained that the cumulative result of these is untold hardship on the people.
It said: “Our people can no longer go to the farms for fear of being kidnapped. And when a few take the risk to go to the farm, the produce arrives at the market at a high price. The bad road network, which makes it difficult for commuters to easily move from place to place or transport goods, also contributes to this.
“When you go to parts of Ogun State, Oyo and Ekiti states, and some Yoruba speaking parts of Kogi and Kwara states, farmers find it difficult to go to farm because of the high level of insecurity. The situation has become so worrisome and we cannot continue to fold our arms.”
The group stressed the need for communal effort among residents to reduce the incidence of insecurity.
It further called on the federal, state and local governments to urgently put up concrete measures to stem the tide of insecurity in the region.
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