From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
There is fear and anxiety in parts of Ondo following the infiltration of some Hausa youths into the state.
Although the state government has allayed the fears of the residents regarding the movement of the Hausas, the residents are apprehensive about the relocation of the Hausas suspected to be bandits.
No fewer than 45 youths of Hausa extraction had relocated to the state at the weekend.
The Hausas were reportedly located in Okitipupa and other communities.
The state government through the state security outfit codenamed “Operation Amotekun” had repatriated 42 of the youths to their home states of Jigawa and Kano.
The state Commander of Operation Amotekun, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, who confirmed the development, allayed the fear of residents, assuring that his men are up to the task of securing the state.
He admitted that the presence of the Hausa youths in the state was suspicious, as there was no cogent reason for relocating to the state.
The state Commissioner for information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, urged residents of the state to remain law-abiding as the state government was on top of the situation and would not leave any stone unturned at ensuring the security of lives of the people.
Ojogo, who said the state government was proactive on security issues, said the state government took the decision to repatriate the Hausas when they could not give substantial reason for their presence in the state.
But many residents are still worried with the development, as it was alleged that some of the Hausas were not repatriated to their states, having moved to some remote parts of Ondo State before the state government got wind of their presence.
The repatriated youths had claimed they arrived the state in readiness for security training at the Army Barracks, Okitipupa, but the Army authorities have neither denied nor confirmed the claim.
Their movement to Ondo State was allegedly facilitated by a NGO identified as Harmony Global Foundation.
A concerned indigene of the state, Mr Wale Odusola, had alleged on Facebook that the Hausa youths are still coming in batches to the state.
According to him, Hausas and Fulanis numbering over 3,000 are currently occupying empty land of the Okitipupa Army Barracks and have built many houses there.
‘Apart from saying that they are members of an unknown security network, they have no other reasonable reason for coming into Okitipupa in that large number. As a matter of fact, they are about 1,000 in number and if they are added to the existing number in the Army barracks bush, we will be having about 4,000 Fulanis/Hausas in Okitipupa,’ he said.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said he had no details of the lawyer’s submission.