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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A governorship aspirant in Ogun State on the platform of Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Segun Showunmi, has called on the state governors, especially in the South West, to wake up to their responsibilities by ensuring the security of lives and ptoperty of their people.
Showunmi, who made the call in a statement in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday, said state governors who draw security votes on a monthly basis should be able to come up with a comprehensive framework to secure their states, the people and those who live peacefully there.
The PDP chieftain bemoaned the recent killings of traditional rulers in Ekiti State, noting that the killing was not only heinous, but also extremely provocative.
According to him, those behind the dastardly act were threatening the peaceful co-existence of the nation, insisting that governors as chief security officers of their respective states must up the ante and carry out their constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding their people.
While calling for restructuring of policing framework in the country, Showunmi said no efforts must be spared in making sure those who are remotely connected to kidnapping, banditry and other crimes are found and brought to book.
He said the government must not wait until the people take laws into their own hands, especially since it has become the norm to ethnically profile crime which is extremely dangerous, emphasising, “a crime must be called a crime. All this nonsense of calling it tribal names is dangerous.
“Those who draw security votes at the sub-national levels must know that we are sliding into some forms of ground zero.
“To those with responsibility to safeguard our people, that is governors, the earlier they come up with a comprehensive framework to secure our land, its people and those who live peacefully there, the better.
“The conspiracy of state destabilisation as a tool of undermining the government will not be tolerated. There is no such thing as a highly-placed personality in my book when it comes to killing people. Those who speak the language of those involved in this madness should call them to order immediately,” Showunmi said.
He, however, urged President Bola Tinubu to do his duty by opening up to the enormous capacity that is available to stamp firm authority in the insecurity situation in the country.
“Intelligence agencies are encouraged to profile all those who could be remotely connected with this unending, blood-draining insecurity as a matter of urgency.
“Throwing money at it under security spending is not enough, it is time to bring down the sponsors of this demonic agenda. No one will allow any group under any guise to put the nation in disarray, as we owe it a duty to ensure every inch of our country is safe and every person in our country feels secured and protected,” he said.
