From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has advised President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to go after those financing insecurity in the country.
In a statement made available to our Correspondent in Osogbo, on Sunday, Oyintiloye, a member of defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), described the recent attacks on Benue and Plateau states, where many innocent people were slaughtered as pathetic and unacceptable.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker in Osun, posited that the fight against the bandits may be difficult as long as the bandits were still having access to food and ammunitions.
He maintained that sources of supply of the basic human needs and weapons must be cut off by arresting those supplying the criminals to enable security agencies to curtail activities of the criminals.
Noting that criminals could not operate without support from certain quarters, Oyintiloye challenged security agencies to work harder to identify the suppliers of weapons and operational vehicles, hard drugs among others to the bandits.
“The point is that, to effectively combat insecurity in the country, it is important to target the individuals and entities that are bankrolling criminal activities and insurgencies.
“This, however, requires a multifaceted approach for high, including strengthening intelligence gathering and analysis, implementing robust anti-corruption measures, and fostering international cooperation to disrupt financial flows. And this is the area the security agencies need to beam their search lights.
“There is no doubt that the security agencies are doing their best and the result of their efforts is glaring for all to see but more needed to be done in exposing the sponsors this evil act,” he said.
Oyintiloye, who declared that incessant killings of innocent Nigerians should not be allowed to go on, unchallenged, stated that those using the insecurity to score political points against the President should be treated as enemies of the country.
The APC chieftain, who commended the President on his efforts to tackle insecurity in the last two years, urged him to allow for public prosecution of the financiers of the bandits.
The former lawmaker urged the government to address institutional framework, which has become very weak over time and has affected governance negatively, “our democratic value, and accountability.
“Arresting financiers of insurgency without addressing the issues of criminal justice by prosecuting them publicly might not yielded the needed results,” Oyintiloye said.
He, however, expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome its current security challenges.