We are alarmed and saddened by the unprecedented rise in criminal activities and political violence in Osun State under the government of Governor Gboyega Oyetola. We never had it so bad, not even under the murderous PDP government.
Armed robbery, bank raid, ritual killing have become everyday affair in Osun. We have all been devastated by the killing of a student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke Oludare, in Ile-Ife in the hotel he paid to lodge in.
This is more than a week after the sad and despicable incident, yet not a word from the state government. No effort to seal the scene of crime, no word of consolation to the family of the victim and no effort to assure the people of the state of the safety of their lives and property. The government has shown no interest in a gruesome murder carried out within its territory, just like other crimes that have become a daily occurrence in the state.
The government of Oyetola is asleep, unconcerned, unresponsive, totally oblivious of the security situation in the state. Totally irresponsible.
Banks and financial institutions have been under relentless siege of bandits and armed robbers in which policemen, customers and bank staff had been killed like fowls. From Ikirun to Osun boundaries in Kwara and Ekiti States, all banks and financial institutions have shut down. Criminals now reign supreme in the state. There are two governments in Osun: the weak, effete, vindictive and supine one headed by Oyetola and the armed robbers, bandits and ritual killers.
In Osogbo, thugs being coordinated by a road transport union leader, acting at the behest of the state government, have held the people hostage in the most barbaric fashion. Insecurity has returned to Osun on full scale.
The armoured personnel carriers and other patrol vehicles with which the previous administration of Aregbesola secured the state have fallen into disuse and ruin. This is because the state governor does not want to touch anything that can be linked to the Aregbesola administration because of the crisis between them. The absence of any security infrastructure and any interest of the state government in security have emboldened criminals who now write to residents of the state of their coming and eventually carry out their threats with impunity.
The commissioner of police has suborned his office and has become the lapdog of the governor, running after critics and opposition, looking the other while criminals take hold of the state.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola has, therefore, proven himself to be incapable of providing security of lives and property, which is the number one responsibility of the government.
We are calling President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police to save us in Osun and help us on the security of lives and property.
It is without question now that Oyetola has failed to protect lives and property and does not deserve a second term. He should just complete his term and slither like a worm out of the government and our consciousness.
Governor Oyetola is clearly distracted by the crisis he started in the APC and he has abandoned governance in pursuit of his second term ambition and vengeance.
Instead of addressing the insecurity challenge in the state, Governor Oyetola would rather apportion blames to a caucus of his party, even when those people had fallen victims of political attacks from the Oyetola’s camp. We observe that if urgent action is not taken, the opposing camp in the APC in Osun State may be eliminated as they reported and this will result to further break down of law and other in the state.
As a stakeholder in the Osun polity and business, we observe also that all the public infrastructure, particularly those bequeathed to his administration by the former governor Aregbesola, which Governor Oyetola should maintain or improve upon are equally left to fall into ruins. This is because Mr Governor is committed to rubbishing Aregbesola’s achievement to score political points. We note with concern that such attitude is anti-people and inimical to development.
It is our conclusion that a Governor that cannot guarantee the security of lives and property of the people does not deserve to be returned to office, either by his political party or the general public.
This statement serves as a clarion call on President Muhammadu Buhari.
Akin Akanji
Coordinator
Centre For Social Justice and Public Interest Protection
