By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure
Followed the recent security beaches in Ondo state where their people were alleged of involving, Ebira community in the state have cautioned against politicising the fight against insecurity so that the war against banditry and kidnapping will not be difficult.
In a communique read by Vincent Abiodun lmoru copy of which was made available to journalists on Sunday in Akure, the group who are from Kogi State but living in Ondo State noted that Nigeria’s security challenges could not have gotten to its present alarming level if stakeholders have not been politicizing it and called for collaborative efforts to win the war.
The representatives of the people who came from each of the 18 local government areas of the state said that it was imperative following an earlier meeting called at the instance of the state government in which they were accused of not putting their houses in order in the area of security in the state.
They particularly pointed out the listing of one Idris Ojo who was an escapee from Kuje prison that was attacked on July 5, 2022 in the list of those arrested for carrying out the massacre in Owo on June 5, 2022 a month after and lauded Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for making the clarification shortly after the list was released by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen. Lucky Irabor.
Disclosing that they are not ready in any way to support or defend any of their kinsmen arrested for crime instead report such persons to appropriate authorities, the people called on security agencies to always carry out thorough and verifiable investigations before going to the press as their intelligence gathering, investigations and conclusions are always open for public evaluation and analysis.
“We advise security agencies in the country to always extend their intelligence and investigative tentacles for thorough investigation of crimes so as to come up with clearcut conclusions which will command public interest and trust” they said.
Having pleaded with the Ondo state government to establish Amotekun Posts in some communities which are predominantly inhabited by Ebira people and enlist their interested youths in the security agency, they warned politicians who have cultivated the habit of importing Ebira youths from their state to Ondo State as political thugs, saying that they are ready to deal decisively with such youths.
While using the forum to announce the banning of all Ebira traditional festivals from being held in any part of Ondo State, they posited that henceforth, they will be collecting the data of all arrested suspected criminals of Ebira origin in the state for periodic presentation to their Paramount Ruler, the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Ibrahim for further tracing, invitation and interrogation of their parents at the palace of their monarch in Okene, Kogi State.