By Bukola Olamona
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Traditional rulers in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo state have raised alarm over rising insecurity in the area, with the influx of herdsmen and undesirable elements.
Rising from a three-day meeting, the traditional rulers sent a Save our Soul to the state governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, saying that the situation had led to spike in attacks on farmers, kidnapping, rape and the destruction of farmlands with the attendant dangerous implications for food security not only in the local government but also the entire state as a whole.
In a communique issued by four of the traditional rulers in the area, Olute of Ute, Oba Oluwole Akinrongbe; Olumoru of Imoru, Oba ‘Rotimi Obamuwagun; Arujale Ojima of Okeluse, Oba Oloyede Akinghare and Odibiado of Ijagba, Oba Andrew Okioya, they said the activities of the herdsmen had been hampering preparations for the planting season
They noted that farmers who are supposed to mobilize for the new farming season have been driven from farms by heavily armed miscreants terrorising the area on a daily basis.
Consequently, the monarchs called on the state government, security agencies to take urgent steps to stem the dangerous tide, saying the rate, level and degree of unprovoked attacks on towns, villages and settlements in the area is becoming very scary and highly embarrassing.
They commended the state governor, Akeredolu, and security agencies in the state for tackling insecurity, and called for increased and urgent steps to restore peace and sanity in the affected areas.
“We passionately appeal that more definite and significant efforts be put in place to ensure more holistic approach to this unending security problems,” they said.
According to them, the emerging insecurity in the area, if not quickly tackled, could lead to famine in the state. They equally advised residents of the communities to be extra vigilant and report suspected movement and cases to the security agencies.
They said the rate, level and degree of unprovoked attacks on towns, villages and settlements in the southern part of Ose Local Government Area were very scary and highly embarrassing.
This perennial/incessant attacks usually leaves in its wake, massive destruction of lives, properties, arson, rapes of married women, teenagers, underage, kidnaping, murder etc.
“All the camps, villages, settlements and suburbs like Arimogija, have been sacked by these terrorists, bandits and armed herders with sophisticated weapons and these perpetrators destroyed hectares of plantations of plantains, cassava, yams etc at will, harvest such crops and feed their animals e.g. cows with them.
“They perpetrate such atrocities, on the alleged belief that their cows usually give birth to two or three of their kinds at once when they are fed with these crops.
“At regular intervals, they willfully set fires on cocoa and other farmlands thereby causing poverty, hardship, hunger, sorrow and extreme pains to our people.
The traditional rulers, therefore, demanded for “Deployment of more security personnels to this area due to its strategic position and establishment of Forward Operational Base in the area.
“Creation of standard police divisions in the area, provisions of effective patrol units in the area and proper clearing of the road verges in the area to ensure clear visibility”
“Deployment of a unit of Mobile Police men with armed APC, (Armoured Personnel Carrier), deployment of Technology to assist in the surveillance of ground forces and urgent provision of relief materials and economic empowerment for the displaced persons to prevent them from going into crimes”
