Osun monarchs cry out govt on kidnapping, police extortion
Traditional rulers under the aegis of the Osun Divisional Conference of Obas have called on government and law enforcement agencies in the state to be proactive in cases of kidnapping and stop alleged extortion of indigenes.
They said that recent cases of kidnaping and armed robbery should be dealt with decisively.
The Traditional rulers stated this in a Communique signed by its Secretary, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Raseed Olabomi at the end of the meeting of Osun Divisional Conferences of Obas at the Palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun
The monarch held that the conference has noticed that the road block on highways by the Police have finally returned to the state with officers of the Nigeria Police collecting money from commercial road users.
Aragbiji described the illegal checkpoints as one that is tarnishing the image of Nigeria as a country, stating that the conference of Obas in the state supported the immediate cancellation of such illegal checkpoints donning almost every major road in the state.
They recalled that the Rauf Aregbesola-led government had in 2012 and 2014 released 20 modern Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and over 100 patrol vans and bikes for the use of the police.
The Conference commended the effort of the Aregbesola-led administration for providing logistics and equipment to combat crime in the state.
It also urged government not to relent in ensuring that crime rate that had been hitherto low does not increase.
According to the Communique, “Conference appreciates the developmental efforts of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Governor of Osun. Obas are however afraid that the cases of kidnapping, 419, burglary, stealing, cultism and associated killings are gradually creeping into our state which has been relatively peaceful and crime free.
“Obas call on Government and law enforcement agencies to step up intelligence with a view to stemming the tide and make the state inhabitable for criminals who engage in these act.
“We have observed that Policemen are back on our roads collecting money from motorists. Conference frowns at this development. Which is tarnishing the image of the country.
“We recommend outright cancellation of these road blocks or stop and search exercise. Rather, intelligence gathering and community policing should be adopted to reduce crime.”
The Conference also condemned the rising spate of the kidnapping of traditional rulers in the country, citing the case of the recently released Oniba of Iba in Lagos the traditional rulers.
