The Ooni Caucus, the top Advisory Council to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has called on the governors and traditional rulers of the South West to take urgent steps to safeguard Yoruba land from insecurity and kidnapping.
The group said it is time to name and shame those individuals and institutions that have been found guilty of compromising and sabotaging Yoruba interests.
The call was made in a communique issued by its Coordinator and Secretary-General, Balogun Akin Osuntokun and Dr Yomi Layinka respectively, at its Extraordinary Meeting. The Ooni Caucus asked the South West governors to support Amotekun, the regional security outfit, with adequate resources and logistics.
The communique expressed sympathy to the victims of the recent killings of traditional rulers, kidnappings of school children and teachers, and violent attacks on Ekiti state and other parts of the South West and Nigeria.
“We await the outcome of investigations into these reprehensible and criminally insane acts; and hold that culprits should be subjected to the wrath of law to its fullest extent,” the group said.
The Ooni Caucus also demanded the establishment of a Military Base in the state to strengthen the existing security arrangements, which had proven insufficient.
The group backed the calls for a constitutional amendment to decentralise the Nigerian police and allow for state and community policing. The group also suggested the involvement of Ex-servicemen from the Police, Military and Paramilitary Forces in the security efforts.
It praised the performance of Amotekun and urged the state governments to increase their support for the initiative. The group also endorsed the activation of the Oodua Peoples Congress OPC and other pro-Yoruba security groups such as the one led by Chief Sunday Igboho for the protection and defense of Yoruba land.
The group emphasised the need for a holistic approach to security that includes the roles of the government, communities and the private sector. The group also advocated for economic interventions such as skills development and job creation to address the root causes of insecurity.
The caucus appealed to the Southwest political leaders to promote and facilitate community-based security initiatives across Yoruba land. The group also stressed the importance of securing the borders and the ungoverned spaces, especially forests and public utilities.
The group warned the leading lights and critical stakeholder groups in the region to wake up from their self-destructive complacency and indifference regarding the security of Yorubaland before it is too late. The group advised them to regularly consult with the South West Governors to identify and tackle the current security challenges.
The communique read in part, “Our royal fathers and leaders of traditional institutions should hold mandatory meetings among themselves to discuss and mutually agree actions that would promote and defend the Yoruba heritage. They need to be sensitised and alert to the risks of harmful land and property ownership practices that render Yoruba communities vulnerable to external threat and subversion.
“In view of their strategic utility in the peace and security of their domains, we call for the strengthening and empowerment of the traditional rulers.
“The institution must enjoy a level of autonomy commensurate with the huge responsibility they bear in the local communities.
“We need to begin to name and shame those individuals and institutions that have been found guilty of compromising and sabotaging Yoruba interests for parochial and selfish reasons.
“It is incumbent on all our leaders to regularly embark on regular campaigns to educate citizens on security issues and the need to be vigilant and prepared to effectively grapple with security threats and challenges.
“We do not know for certain the security status of Mr Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho. We hold the view that he does not constitute a threat to the peace and stability of Nigeria in any way. He should, therefore, be accorded the freedom, rights, and privileges that are due to every Nigerian citizen. If he is not in Nigeria, he should feel free to return home at a time of his choosing
“Finally, we find the need to prompt and remind President Bola Tinubu to redeem his pledge of support towards the decentralisation and devolution of powers in Nigeria.”