The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has urged the Pan-Yoruba group, O’dua People’s Congress (OPC) and vigilante operatives to support security agencies to rid the state of criminal elements, especially the rampaging kidnappers that are perpetrating abductions in the state .
Fayemi said his government had given marching orders to the Police Commissioner, Mr Asuquo Amba; the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and other security networks to rid the state of criminals, insisting that the backing of other stakeholders in security sector would provide a buffer to the conventional security for the task to be achievable.
The governor spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Mobilisation, Prince Tunji Ogunlola on Saturday, while meeting the leadership of the group in the state who paid him a visit at his office in Ado Ekiti.
A former Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Remi Olorunleke and the Director of Administration, Gbonyin Council area , Mr. David Jejelowo , were on Monday kidnapped by gunmen along Ado-Ijan road .
This incident occurred barely a week an accountant with Emure local government, Mr. Abayomi Ajayi was killed by gunmen along Ikere –Ise road while two other staff from the council were abducted .
The governor had also through his mobilization unit met with the leaderships of the Private Sector in the State, the Artisans and Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), assuring them they shall benefit from the federal government’s Tradermoni programme being
championed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Fayemi said his government was not comfortable with the kidnapping and killings of some local government officials and other Ekiti citizens in recent time, saying all hands must be on deck to put those with criminal tendencies at bay to safeguard the lives and property of the residents.
Fayemi said the government needs the backing of every member of the society to tackle the menace, for they will be at the receiving end if proper actions are not taken, promising that the present administration won’t tolerate criminals to hijack the system and destabilize the state.
“We are seeking the efforts of every member of the society to tackle these evil doers. Within two weeks, over five people were kidnapped while one person was shot dead, we won’t rest until these people are either flushed out or apprehended.
“To show how committed we are to making Ekiti safe, we have reinstated the sacked operatives of the scrapped Ekiti State Peace Corps. We intend to recruit 800 operatives to work with the police across every community.
“OPC as a respectable pan-Yoruba security group is also welcomed in the battle to make Ekiti safe. We need you because you are credible, you understand the terrain and we have that confidence in you that you can provide supports for the police in the area of providing information for the security agencies that will help their intelligence gathering for them to take proactive actions.
“However, in doing our business, we need to be guided by the laws. We need to bow to superior directive from the police and we must not take laws into our hands, all we want is you being partners in progress, because Ekiti must be safe and nothing must be spared to actualize this,” he said.
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