Yoruba nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Friday said the support of Nigerians for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government security measures is critical to the nation’s economic growth.
He maintained that various reforms being implemented by the government to reposition the economy, which are already yielding results, could only have more impact on the citizenry with effective security of the country.
A statement by Igboho’s media office quoted the Yoruba nation agitator to have made this disclosure during the launch of Iru Ekun Security Network in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti.
He underscored the need for all regardless of political, religious and ethnic colouration to support security agencies through credible information to dislodge criminal elements in any part of Nigeria, most especially in the South West.
Speaking at the palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Igboho said ‘the current infrastructural facelift in South West and other regions, most especially roads network and economic reforms which are ingredients for overall development can only be explored for the betterment of Nigerians by restoration of effective security and safety of all communities.
The statement reads further, ‘Therefore, our conventional security agencies currently being supported by local security initiatives like Iru Ekun should be encouraged and motivated to further tackle criminality in the society.
‘We are committed to eradicating banditry, kidnappers, and other hoodlums constituting a threat to peace, safety, and tranquility of Yorubaland. The era of bandits killing Yoruba Obas is over. We would not tolerate the abduction or killing of our people in the South West.
‘Before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ends his second term, Nigeria’s security would have been watertight to speed up the socioeconomic growth of our nation.
‘We don’t want to see any bandits or hoodlums in whatever guise in our farms and forest reserve. That was our plea to Yoruba traditional rulers, and they have made our position known to Mr President. This informed the approval granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of Iru Ekun Security Network.
‘If there are reports of attack or security breach in our farms and villages, our revered traditional rulers should contact Iru Ekun for necessary action. We will not tolerate any ambush of our people again.
‘We want to go back to peace and security of the olden days when our father could decide to travel to anywhere in Yorubaland without any fear of attack or threat. It is possible and we are going to restore such hope and confidence in a safer environment for all.’
Recalling past incidents of abduction in some parts of Oyo State, Igboho explained that ‘there was a case of one elderly man we recently rescued in Okeho, Oyo State. The man, who is a farmer, had only N8,000 on him when he was kidnapped, and he was eating wara, a local snack, when they seized him. The hoodlums demanded N10 million ransom.
‘There was another case of a woman and child abducted in Iwere Ile, where her kidnappers demanded N200 million ransom. Her husband had been a victim of kidnapping before the incident, and he paid N60 million before he was released. While rescuing the woman, one of our Iru Ekun personnel was killed.
‘This time around we squaring up with bandits and kidnappers. We won’t take it easy with criminals until we conquer them. We believe that with the prayers of our traditional rulers, we will win these battles, ‘he was quoted to have stated.
In her remark, the Regent of Iworoko Ekiti, Princess Bolanle Adenike Ogundola, appealed to all Yoruba indigenes to support Iru Ekun Security Network for our own protection and peace, stressing that ‘as a race, Yoruba should exhibit love and develop more interest in the progress of our tribe.