For the first time, after the escape of Sunday Shodipe, a suspected serial killer, who was arrested in connection with killings in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State speaks out.
Newsmen recalls that Sunday Shodipe, a suspect who was arrested in connection with killings of Barakat Bello, Azeezat Shomuyiwa, including a five-year old boy identified as Mujeeb had earlier been paraded along with two others on 17th July this year by Enwonwu.
However, the police under the leadership of Enwonwu on Sunday, said that the suspect has escaped from Police custody. In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, Oyo State Police command said that the suspect escaped after he has been charged to court.
Makinde had since then remained silent over the escape of the suspect.
However, Makinde on Tuesday gave marching orders to security operatives to ensure the re-arrest of the suspect.
Makinde, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Fatai Owoseni at a Town Hall meeting held at Akinyele Local Government, said the re-arrest of the alleged mastermind of at least six ritual killings in Ibadan, must be made a top priority of security operatives.
He reiterated that his administration places a premium on security of lives and properties in the state, urging the residents of the area to remain calm and not take laws into their hands.
“All of us have followed the incidents in Akinyele; the arrest of the principal suspect in the case and, of course, his escape from custody, after being arraigned in court.
“We are here today in this Town Hall meeting and Governor Makinde has directed that we should let the people in the community know that as governor, he shares their pain; and as people of Oyo State, we share in the pain; and what has happened is condemnable and unacceptable in all materials particular.
“Be that as it may, the governor also wants us to dialogue with the people, with a view to ensuring that as much as security challenges can affect economic development, so also are barbaric actions like taking laws into people’s hands.
“Yes, the people have the right, having suffered such pains, to come out to protest. But when we do our protest, we should do it in a way that will not continue to destroy property of people. Because the properties of people we are destroying could also be members of our family. Everyone knows that what has happened is bad but for every 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, you see a Judas Iscariot.
“So, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, apart from being pained, sharing in the pains of the people and being in solidarity with them, has also ensured that this gets to the hearing of the top echelon of the police, that is the Inspector General of Police. The governor and IGP have given the marching order to the commissioner of police and all his officers in Oyo State to work with the people in the community, so as to ensure that the suspect is rearrested; and ensure that all those cases are investigated to a logical conclusion.
“Just like the state gave the security agencies the wherewithal and tools to apprehend that suspect in the first case, so also is the governor deploying whatever is necessary and the enablement that will make them succeed. And they must work in partnership with the members of the community in the spirit of community policing.
“So, we have come here to pass this message to our people here. They have also given their commitment to work together with the police to make sure the suspect is re-arrested, investigated and prosecuted.”
