President of Ekitiparapo Association, Lagos State Chapter Mr. Dare Ojo has urged the state government to tackle insecurity headlong.
In a statement, titled: “Security emergency in Ekitiland: The need for commensurate action”, he said the issue of insecurity had been brought into the front-burner with the incessant cases of kidnapping, killings, arson, and other crimes.”
Ojo added that the situation had raised fears in the minds of residents within and outside Ekiti, who are scared to visit their people in the state.
He said: “We note with regret the recent killings of two people, including a pregnant woman in Orin-Ekiti, the several reported cases of kidnapping for ransom and the destruction of farmland in several part of the state.
“As stakeholders, we, Ekitis in diaspora under the aegis of Ekitiparapo Association Lagos, are concerned with the happenings in the home land, particularly the growing rate of kidnapping and abduction of people at home and along the major inter/intra city highways.”
He said the development warranted the association to set up a seven-man Security Advisory Committee to review the situation and made its recommendation available to Ekiti State government.
“The recent incidents of insecurity in Ekiti land are traceable to the activities of armed herdsmen and local people with criminal tendencies. The followings are being recommended to Governor Kayode Fayemi as steps to be taken in our homeland.
“We have observed that the forest reserves have become the hideout and the operational base for kidnappers and armed robbers. The old practice of patrolling and monitoring of the forest reserves by armed forest guards appears to have been abandoned.
“In the light of the current security challenges, the government is being urged to engage forest guards for effective patrol of the forest reserves which in turn will enhance security within the state.
“There should be a way of creating synergy between our neighbouring states and this would no doubt strengthen the security of the area at the external level. The state government should endeavour to ensure that all land owners are known.”
He said every community within the state should open a register of people living within their community and if the need be, they should be issued with identity cards.
“Our Kabiyesi and royal fathers should be mobilised by the state government and be encouraged to explore old traditional methods and strategies, which had been adequately utilised in the past and found to be very potent in order to deploy same towards tackling the current security challenges;”
