Insecurity: Olanipekun faults FG for not naming banditry sponsors
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By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Wole Olanipekun, has faulted the federal government for its continued reluctance to publicly identify and prosecute financiers of terrorism and other destabilising forces in the country.
The legal luminary explained that the government’s refusal to name sponsors has emboldened criminals, deepened distrust and threatened national cohesion.
The former Chairman of the Body of Benchers lamented that while citizens suffer from killings, kidnappings and extremist violence, those responsible for funding and enabling such acts remain shielded.
Recall that there have been several cases of killing and kidnapping across the country in the last week, such as a kidnapping case at St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, with over 300 students and teachers abducted; an attack on a Christ Apostolic Church where two were killed, with over 30 persons whisked away, among others.
Olanipekun raised this concern while speaking with journalists over the weekend in Ikere-Ekiti during the 29th Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme and 6th Empowerment Programme.
He equally urged the government to confront and prosecute the individuals undermining national security, insisting that external interventions are unnecessary if Nigeria musters the courage to act decisively.
His words, “The problems have been there. But we should stop pretending as if we don’t know the problems are there. There are so many people who say they are citizens but don’t love this country; they are working against the country’s interests.
“You can’t do it in America and get away with it. You can’t sabotage your country. You can’t work against your country’s interests. You can’t wage war against your country, and we live with that country. Why are we deceiving ourselves? Are we pretending as if we don’t know those who are waging war against this country?
“So why are we not naming names? Why are we not calling this spade by its name? Why are we describing a spade as an agricultural instrument? Why will it take a turn to tell us to please dress up and put our house in order, when we know who is desecrating the house? People talk in this country as if they’re above the law.
“The way out is for the government to do the needful, to name the names. We don’t need any external intervention”.
The Wole Olanipekun Foundation has, since its inception in 1996, empowered 505 beneficiaries across categories, which include 50 elderly persons under the Old People Programme, 250 youths through empowerment, skills development and start-up support, 50 widows through welfare and livelihood assistance and 155 students under the scholarship scheme.
In his remarks, the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, hailed Wole Olanipekun for his unwavering commitment to young people and vulnerable groups, describing the legal icon as a rare blessing to Ekiti and Nigeria at large.
He urged the beneficiaries to turn the favour extended to them into a seed to grow their personal potential rather than divert it to irrelevant frivolities.
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