APC chieftain tasks police to flush out killer herders from Ekiti

By Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado -Ekiti

Former Director General, Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Council in Ekiti state, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, has charged the police and other security agencies to fish out the criminals masquerading as herdsmen who are allegedly perpetrating evil in parts of the state.

Osinkolu described as frightening, the killing of a 22 –year-old undergraduate, Maria in Ise Ekiti last weekend and one Emmanuel Ilori in Orin Ekiti on Monday by suspected herdsmen, saying the trend must be halted in the overall interest of the people.

Maria was killed on her father’s farm last week Friday, while Ilori, a hunter was shot dead during his encounter with suspected herders around 12 midnight on Monday.

Condemning the gruesome killing in a statement in Ado Ekiti, Osinkolu stated that the death of these two innocent people would affect the investment drive of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s government.

Osinkolu applauded Fayemi on the assurances given to apprehensive Ekiti residents that no stranger will be allowed to take over any portion of land in any part of the state.

He advised the Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, to re-jig the state’s security apparatus to be able to tame the rampaging killers.

“Apart from the fact that the police must up their game, they must be ready to work with the local hunters, who understand the terrain and these evil forests where the killers are hiding.

“It is sad and disheartening to see innocent residents being killed, particularly an undergraduate of a university by gunmen hiding in our forests. So, the police must work with all interested members of the society, particularly the local hunters to be able to secure the lives and property of our citizens.

“The public must also be aware of the fact that the police can’t do this arduous task alone, we must be ready to give them sufficient information they can act upon for these blood suckers to be flushed out of our state,” he added.

The APC stalwart saluted the courage exhibited by Fayemi in issuing a stringent warning to those allegedly plotting to forcefully arrogate Ekiti land to themselves to bury such a thought.

“This shows that Ekiti has declared war on these killers and all of us must key into the agenda of making Ekiti secure through our contributions to the newly formed Ekiti state Security Trust Fund,” he stated and appealed to traditional rulers to mobilise their people on the need to be vigilant and report strange faces to the security agencies for prompt action.