A Community Leader in Ondo State, Otunba Benji Oloye has stated that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu must not succumb to the pressure coming from the presidency on the vacation order given to herdsmen grazing inside the Government Forest Reserves.
Governor Akeredolu has earlier in the week given herders seven days ultimatum to vacate the forest going by high rate of kidnapping, killing and banditry in the state.
The statement from the presidency through the senior media aide to the President, Shehu Garuba stirred reactions from notable Nigerians, condemning the attack on the step taken by the government of Ondo State.
Otunba Benji commended the governor for taken a bold step ordering the herders to vacate the forest, saying it takes a politician with political will to give such order which some people have turned to fight against certain ethnicity.
He said every right thinking residents of the state know that the hideout of the kidnappers are inside the forest, asking the herders to vacate the forest is a right step in a right direction.
” Almost all the governors know the hideout of kidnappers in their respective states; what they need is the political will to hack down these criminals and brought them to book. In Ondo State, we all know that once the kidnappers strike, their victims are taken to the thick forest, why is government not equipping the security agencies to fight these criminals to stand still?”
Otunba frowned at the fire brigade approach of the government whenever resident of the state is being kidnapped, saying Ondo state government need to be proactive in ridden the state of criminals beyond issuing quit notice to the herders masquerading as pastoralists.
He requested for synergy and collaboration among the security agencies and the Amotekun Corps to win the fight against insecurity in the state. ” The government need not over promote Amotekun above other security apparatus because doing so will not yield good result and might lead to inter agencies rivalry”.
Otunba said the advocacy for state police is a welcome ideas, adding that state government should be looking at the possibility of equipping the already existing Federal Police while waiting for approval from the Federal Government.
While attributing unemployment as one of the factors that led to criminality, he charged the youths to engage themselves in legal business, saying the youth agitation for leadership position can only be realistic if they shun laziness and determined to change the narrative of the old order.
” The youth are agitating for leadership position; how prepare are they? Most of these agitations are not genuine but tailored towards getting their own share of the national cake”.
He appealed to Akeredolu led administration to provide enough vehicles and logistics for the Joint Task Force for regular patrol of the noted flash points of kidnappers on the state highway.
Good