Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has reacted to the attack on the prison in Abolongo in Oyo Town, Oyo State, where bandits set free an unspecified number of inmates, condemning the act and describing the invasion as a national embarrassment.
Iba Adams expressed this concern on Sunday in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, saying the invasion of the prison by bandits had exposed the poor security situation in the country.
This was just as the Yoruba generalissimo, who noted that Oyo State and the entire South-West had never experienced such jailbreak in a long time, a situation that recently played out in Kabba, Kogi State, said it was unfortunate that insecurity had triggered various types of menace cross the country.
“Oyo town has never recorded such incident in its long history. It is unfortunate that insecurity has triggered various types of menace across the country,” he said.
Adams, however, blamed the Oyo State security service for its failure to beef up the security in the prison, noting further that there was no doubt that the bandits were playing out a script that would later engulf the entire nation, following the attack on the Abuja-bound train.
“Following the attack on the Abuja-bound train, and the Oyo prison attack, it is certainly no doubt that the bandits are playing out a script that will later engulf the entire nation,” Iba Adams said.
Adams, while expressing his concern to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Oyo State government, said it was indeed very ridiculous to hear such unsavoury news coming from the ancient town, calling on the Inspector- General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to look into the security situation and address the problem in the most professional manner.
According to him, the IG should do this because Oyo State is very sensitive to the South-West, saying the people of the zone cannot continue to live in fear.
“It is, indeed, very ridiculous to hear such unsavoury news coming from the ancient town. “However, I want to express my concern to Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Oyo State government.
“I am also using this opportunity to urge the Inspector General of Police to look into the security situation in Oyo and address the problem in the most professional manner. Oyo State is very sensitive to the South-West and we cannot continue to live in fears,” he said.
Iba Adams, however, restated his belief in regionalism, saying the best solution to the myriads of problems confronting the nation was to allow each component of the federating units to control the security architectures of their respective region as it was specified in the 1963 constitution.
He argued that the idea of using only one police structure was archaic, saying that a country with over 200 million population, and over 300 ethnic nationalities cannot thrive and prosper under deceit and acrimony.
“The idea of using only one police structure is as old as the heaven and no good nation can be secured under that arrangement. A country with over 200 million population, and over 300 ethnic nationalities cannot thrive and prosper under deceit and acrimony.
“The only solution to the security impasse in the country is to go back to regionalism, where each segment of the region would control the security of their respective region. The Federal Police is overstretched, let the local and state governments have their police as it is done in the developed world,” he argued.
“With the present security situation in Nigeria, it is very clear that Nigeria has grown beyond having only one police structure. And until we change this old arrangement, the nation will continue to struggle to combat insurgency,” he added.
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