When Ondo Residents Can No Longer Sleep With Eyes Close

By Ayodele Oni

Security Operations are at their lowest ebb. Operatives seem helpless because the things they need to work with are not there. Vehicles are broken down and funds are scarce.

Once upon a time, residents of Ondo, the Sunshine State, could go to bed with their two eyes closed. This was because of the effective and efficient security which network prevailed in the State at that period. The Police, Army and the South West security network, Amotekun, all collaborated to give criminals sleepless nights and succeeded in driving them out of the State.

But that was then. Things have gone awry now to the extent that armed Herdsmen, in one fell swoop,  attacked four communities at a stretch without checking, killing and maiming innocent residents. The question everybody is asking is: where are those security agencies, especially Amotekun Corps that were a thorn in the flesh of the herders?

Before, no week would pass- by without a breakthrough of either arrest of kidnappers or herders destroying farms. All these seem to be a thing of the past.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Wilfred Afolabi, who resumed duties in the State a few months ago, tried to shed light on problems which may likely have crippled security in the State.

The police Commissioner mentioned some of the challenges of the command in carrying out its duties in terms of patrol vehicles and other logistics needed for smooth operations.

According to him,  if the command is equipped with hi-tech devices, including drone, trackers and other devices for lawful interception, fighting crimes in the State would be done seamlessly.

Afolabi revealed that the Command needs assistance from government and other stakeholders in the State in terms of provision of patrol vans and the repair of grounded patrol vehicles for timely and effective response to distress calls.

“We can’t use orthodox method to address present security challenges. Most of our vehicles are grounded. The refurbishing are ongoing through the financial assistance from the people.

“We need Military drone that can go 50km, live tracking devices to get the location where criminals are hiding, Lawful Intersection (LI), fueling of vehicles among others.

“Now, kidnapping has gone highly sophisticated and you can confirm it from anybody. We can’t use the same old method, or maybe the approach of the 70s or the 80s or even the 90s to address this present security challenges.

“In a lot of States where they are having successes and breakthroughs, they have hi-tech machines, drones, Lawful Intersection machine (LI), life tracking, but here, we don’t have them.

“So, most times, what we rely on whenever there is any incident of kidnapping, you deploy your men into the bush, to comb the bush. That is archaic and you hardly can achieve much success.”

Besides, the CP noted that consistent migration into Ondo State among other factors contribute to the prevailing situation of criminality in the State.

“There are lot of people migrating, relocating to the Southern part of the country and they are coming in hundreds and thousands, and there is no directive coming from anywhere that this movement should be checked.

“So, there is no doubt about it that the rate at which people are migrating, relocating into Ondo State is further worsening the prevailing security challenges we have.”

The attacks on the four communities are  not the only sore point in the ongoing criminal activities in the State. The recently released youth leader of Afenifere was abducted in the Akoko area of the State. A convoy of the Leadership of the National Association of the Nigerian Students, (NANS), was attacked in the State on their way to Abuja. These are just few to mention.

Everyday in the Akoko area of the State, which is the most volatile and abode of criminal elements, travelers are abducted both day and night as a result of the absence of security personnel.

The State Commander of Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, whose tenure was extended towards the end of last year has been inactive, apparently for similar reasons adduced by the Police Commissioner.

Inside sources disclose that Amotekun operation is hampered by inadequate personnel, lack of functional vehicles and funds, unlike during the immediate past administration when the job was made easy for them by late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, whose efforts and commitment led to the formation of Amotekun.

Operational vehicles are grounded within the premises of the security outfit in Akure, while some of the officials attacked in the course of their official duties are battling for survival, using personal money to take care of themselves.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatuwa is being accused of non- release of funds like his predecessor to the security agencies in the State. His Aide on security matters, Olugbenga Atiba, in his reaction to the herdsmen invasion of four communities believes that enemies of the administration are behind the report.

Atiba stated that “It is public knowledge that the Government of Ondo State, efficiently led by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, prioritizes the security of lives and property of every resident of the State where they live, work and play.” That’s his belief. Those that have been killed or sent out of their homes cannot agree with him.

From the way insecurity is rising in the state, the people may be forced to resort to defending themselves or worse still relocate to more peaceful States within the neighbourhood.