The youths of Igangan, on Monday, expressed displeasure over what they described as ‘late-coming’ of Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde to the town in the face of the current security challenges occasioned by clashes between herders and farmers.
The youths, who expressed sadness the Governor came ‘late’, wondering why he took so long before coming to the town to show sympathy with the indigenes, insisted they do not want herdsmen on their lands anymore, calling for immediate investigation of the roles played by the embattled Seriki Fulani of Oyo, Abdulkadri Saliu in the series of rape, kidnappings, banditry among other social vices that had rocked the region.
This happened at the Igangan Town Hall, Igangan venue of a stakeholders meeting facilitated by the Governor with stakeholders to seek permanent solution to the security challenges facing the region.
The meeting which was the second in two days facilitated by Makinde, who met overnight with caretaker chairmen and political appointees from Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East and Ibarapa North, in Igbo Ora featured the youths carrying placards with various inscriptions calling on the government to do something urgent about the rampaging killer herdsmen.
The youths also requested for adequate compensation for the victims and families of those who have been affected by the herders’ onslaught.
They displayed the pictures and photos of the late Dr Fatai Aborode, who was killed on the way to his farm late last year with a call on the government to find and prosecute the killers.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Stop the Fulani massacre of Ibarapa people”; “#End Farmer’s bloodshed in Igangan”; “#Justice for all slain”; “#Fulani must stop raping our women”; “#Stop the Fulani massacre of Ibarapa people”; “We have bled enough”; “Correct your media aides Mr Governor’’; ‘’We are Ibarapa, not Oke-Ogun. Address us properly”; “Ibarapa lands are not Fulani Ruga”; “No more Seriki, no more carnage”; “Justice for all those who Fulani raped”.
Jamiu Ogungbenro, the Vice President 2, Igangan Development Advocates, said the cries of the people in terms of kidnappings in the region were not exaggerated.
He listed some indigenes of the community who had been kidnapped between 2019 and 2020 as well as ransom paid to facilitate their release.
He added many of their parents trained them from monies made from farm proceeds but would not dare such again as they have been forced to abandon their farmlands as a result of the threat of herders who invade their farms and spoil their produce.
He said: “To show to our governor that we are not exaggerating the security threats of Ibarapa and Igangan in particular, I will read out the names of our people who were kidnapped in the region between 2019 and 2020 and the ransom they paid.
“On February 8, 2019, they kidnapped the owner of Adolad filling station in Igangan, N15million ransom was collected.
“On 21st March 2020, Alhaji Lukman Jimoh Amubioya was kidnapped and a ransom of N2million was paid.
“On 7th March 2020, Alhaji Wasiu Adetayo Adebimpe was kidnapped
“They kidnapped Alhaji Olusegun Olosunde who owns a filling station and N7.5million was collected.
“On 4th January 2021, Alhaji Monsuru Aderoju who is the son of our monarch was kidnapped and N4million ransom was collected.
“Also, I also have a list of about 24 people who were victims of herdsmen rape, banditry and assassinations and who have not seen justice. Many of those killed have their pictures with the
“On 6th January 2019, a man was kidnapped by a river and was killed there. On 2nd June, 2019, a motorcyclist named Sule Danfo was macheted to death about 50metres from Saliu Abdulkadri, the self-acclaimed Seriki Fulani of Oyo state’s residence.
“The man was taken away by the kidnappers and killed very close to his residence.”
He added: “We want synergy and collaboration in terms of security between Amotekun, Vigilante group and our local hunters.
“Also, in all our immediate and close farms, we want to government to send the Amotekun to search through the bushes to identify those living there.
“We know the police are in the towns, we want the Amotekun to comb the forest because that is the place where these criminals elements live.
“We also want our anti-open grazing laws to be implemented and arrest defaulters.
“We want the Oyo state government to help us investigate the involvement of the so-called Seriki Fulani of Oyo state in rape, kidnapping and other social vices perpetrated in our region and we want him prosecuted if found guilty.
“We want the government to look at the abandoned project of a 60-bed hospital which has been abandoned since the days of Chief Bola Ige.
“We want it fixed because many of the criminal elements use the place as a hideout for their dangerous weapons and ammunitions.
“When Dr Aborode was attacked what he was saying before he finally died was that he was calling for the nearest hospital and if we had that, maybe he would not have died.”
The meeting was interrupted when the youths were stopped from taking a recording of the proceedings, which led to a rancorous session before the youths staged a walkout.
The intervention of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd.) helped to calm frayed nerves before normalcy was restored.
Makinde said he felt their pains, adding elected officials have no cause to sleep if the electorate could not sleep.
He assured the people that his administration will work with all stakeholders to ensure the problems of insecurity in Ibarapaland, in general, is tackled collectively.
Makinde said “You have shown me love and all that is happening. I can tell you that I also feel your pains.
“If you cannot sleep with your two eyes closed, those of us that you have sent into the government shouldn’t sleep as well with our two eyes closed. This same hall was where I came to canvass for vote and I can assure you that I have come to listen to you.
“Since almost 24hours here now and I am still in Ibarapaland because I don’t want anyone just to come and tell me in Ibadan what is happening here.”
