…as YPF urges Tinubu to Intervene in Osun killings
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for an emergency security meeting with heads of security agencies in the state amid renewed concerns over cult-related killings and other security breaches.
- …as YPF urges Tinubu to Intervene in Osun killings
- ALSO READ: Panic as ‘Small Rugged’ hacked to death in Osogbo
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, is expected to focus on the recent violent clashes involving rival cult groups in Osun, as well as measures to prevent criminal elements from using forests and other remote locations as hideouts.
The Governor’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, disclosed this in an interview, saying the meeting was convened to strengthen the state’s security architecture and reassure residents.
According to him, the administration is particularly concerned about the recent spate of killings attributed to rival cult groups, stressing that the trend must be brought under control before it damages the image of the state.
“We are holding a security meeting on Wednesday, by the special grace of God, to reassure our people and put our security agencies on their toes,” Ojo said.
He said the meeting would also examine security threats emanating from forests across the state, citing the recent killing of an alleged ISWAP leader in Owo, Ondo State, as a development that should serve as a warning to criminals seeking refuge in forested areas.
“What happened in Ondo is a lesson to those criminals harbouring and hibernating in the forests. We will not take it lightly with anyone using the forest as a hideout,” he stated.
Ojo said security chiefs would equally deliberate on strategies to halt the killings linked to rival cult groups and prevent other violent crimes from taking root in the state.
“Aside from that, we are also using the meeting to address the incessant killings by rival cult groups in the past weeks. We need to meet and discuss how to stop these killings by cult groups or any other violent crimes hiding under that canopy,” he added.
The governor’s aide urged those involved in violent activities to desist, warning that the government would take necessary steps against perpetrators.
“We need to stop it, so as not to give our state a bad name, because nobody knows what they are fighting for or why they are killing themselves,” Ojo said.
ALSO READ: Panic as ‘Small Rugged’ hacked to death in Osogbo
The development followed two separate cult-related attacks recorded in Osogbo, the state capital, between Friday and Sunday, in which two persons were reportedly killed while about five others sustained injuries.
Following the incidents, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, ordered tactical teams to carry out raids on suspected criminal hideouts in Osogbo as part of efforts to prevent further attacks.
Meanwhile, the Yoruba Progressives Forum (YPF) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the worsening security situation in Osun State, following recurring killings, suspected cult clashes and other violent attacks that have heightened fears among residents.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Alhaji AbdulLateef Olalekan, popularly known as Asiri Ede, the group said hardly a week passes without reports of killings in different parts of the state, warning that the development required coordinated action by the Federal Government and security agencies.
YPF expressed particular concern over the reported killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, in Ile-Ife, as well as other violent incidents in Esa-Oke, Ilesa and Ikire, where two persons, including a traveller, were reportedly killed.
The forum also cited the October 2 violence around Owoeba, near Ilesa Garage in Osogbo, where two persons were confirmed dead and four others sustained gunshot injuries in a suspected cult clash.
The group further raised concern over the reported shooting of Rasaki Wahab, popularly known as Ojo Iku, at Arowomole on October 4, as well as the reported killing of a person identified as Rogba in Esa-Oke, warning that the recurring bloodshed must not become normalised in the state.
The forum recalled that Osun recorded several cases of killings and violent confrontations before the August 15 governorship election, some of which Governor Ademola Adeleke had linked to political activities.
It said there had been expectations that the security situation would improve after the election, but expressed disappointment that deadly incidents had continued.
While describing the situation as alarming, YPF said the state government appeared overwhelmed by the persistent security challenges and called on President Tinubu to direct relevant federal security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and investigations, and ensure that perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.
The group also urged the Osun Commissioner of Police, other security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community heads, parents and youth organisations to work together to curb cultism and violent crime.
YPF said it was not interested in political blame but in immediate action to protect lives and property, restore public confidence and prevent Osun from sliding further into insecurity.