From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Olu of Ilaro and the Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, has appealed to the federal and the Ogun State governments to ensure the protection of lives and property of people living in the Yewa.
He specifically urged the presidency to wade in and stop the indiscriminate killing, and maiming of people in the area by herdsmen and bandits.
The traditional ruler, who made the appeal in a press release he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, noted that ‘the call became imperative in order to save the situation before it gets out of hand.’
The statement entitled, “Stopping the time bomb before it is too late”, reads in part:
‘The attention of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and all security agencies is drawn to the continued siege of the entire Yewaland of Ogun State in the last few weeks by armed herdsmen and bandits callously killing, including literally slaughtering, and maiming our people.
‘The criminal and dangerous activities of these herdsmen have so far happened in Egua, Oja-Odan, Igan-Alade, Gbokoto, and Ijoun, Owode-Ketu, Ebute Igbooro, Imeko Afon and other plans to attack major towns in Yewaland.
‘The federal government and Ogun State government are hereby implore as a matter of extreme urgency to act fast to secure the lives and property of our people before it spiral out of complete control.
The royal father noted that the people may resort to self-help to defend themselves, if the government fails to guarantee their safety as citizens of Nigeria in the face of renewed insurgency by the criminals terrorising them with arms and dangerous weapons.
Oba Olugbenle therefore expressed hope that government at both state and federal levels, together with the security agencies would live up to expectation of their responsibility, as enshrined in the Nigeria’s Constitution to ensure the security of our lives and properties in Yewaland.
He appealed to his people to cooperate with with the state government on various measures already mapped out to curb the activities of the bandits in the days ahead.