The Head of Harmonised Vigilante Group in the South West, Alhaji Rilwan Hussein Yahasalam, has called on governors of the South West states to be vigilant and proactive in the face of damning security breaches in the region.
He said the state of kidnappings and banditry presently in all the states that make up the political zone require utmost vigilance and quick action.
Yahasalam, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State on Saturday, expressed concern over the general insecurity around the country and recent security threat in the South West.
He said the incessant cases of criminality in many communities of the region, which often attribute to Fulani herdsmen indicate that there is new dimension to security architecture of the region, which must be taken seriously to avert terrible occurrence.
According to him, the recent cases of abduction and violent robbery on highways within the South West have practically instill fear in many people, especially business women and men, including farmers, who have almost abandoned their farms for the fear of being kidnapped or maimed by suspected Fulani herders.
“We are having serious security situation at hand, our communities are no more safe due to criminal activities of bandits and kidnappers suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
“The hitherto sleepy and peaceful region is now gradually becoming volatile and delicate, while political leaders in the region pretend as if nothing is happening.
“It is not in doubt that things might get worse if political leaders in the region continue to maintain this attitude and fail to act fast, the situation is indeed degenerating.
“A professor at Obafemi Awolowo University, who was abducted recently along Ife-Ibadan road specifically mentioned Fulani herdsmen as his abductors, in which over N5m was collected as ransom.
“It is the in the same route that two officials of Federal Road Safety Corps were kidnapped and ransomed paid before they could secure their release.
“It was also reported that over 30 armed herdsmen on Sunday blocked the section of Ilesa-Akure express road at Erinle, shooting sporadically until security operatives in the convoy of one of the governors in the region came to dislodge them.
” It is disheartening that all these are happening in the zone and no single arrest has been made. This issue is seriously affecting the socio-economic life of the people in the region, and a great danger for the country at large “, the statement read.
Yahasalam, however, added that although, the Police and other security agencies were making efforts to nip the situation in the bud, there is need for collaborative efforts towards fighting crime from other non-state actors, especially local vigilante groups.
He recalled how such state of insecurity surfaced in the 90s and early 2000, in which the intervention of his group, in collaboration with security agencies eventually curbed the menace.
“We have had a situation similar to this in the past, where suspected Fulani herdsmen were waylaying people along Gbongan-Ibadan road, it was the concerted efforts of Police and our group that put stop to that criminality.
“So, now that there is a new dimension to security breach in the state, with more sophistication in their operation, the government must look inward to tackle the current challenge with more vigour.”
