By Oluseye Ojo
In a bid to tackle banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of crime being perpetrated in the various forests, the Oyo State Government is perfecting plans to conduct a joint-security clearance operation to rid the forests of criminal elements.
Commandant of Oyo State Security Network, also known as Amotekun Corps, Col Olayinka Olayanju (retd), made this known in an interview with Saturday Sun.
According to him, adequate measures have been put in place by Govenor Seyi Makinde, to ensure that residents of the state sleep with their two eyes closed, and also for travellers to the state, as well as those passing through the state to have peace of mind.
Few days ago, communities around Old Oyo National Park, comprising Kujifi, Kosobo, and Ajirowo, were invaded by gunmen, leading to the death of a civilian, killing of a vigilante, and the abduction of two local farmers.
In a separate incident, clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Iwajowa Local Government Area resulted in three deaths, including the killing of an Amotekun officer. The clash began after cattle were allowed to graze on a farmer’s plantation. The security forces called for help were ambushed, resulting in the death of the Amotekun officer and injuries to another officer.
Following the resurgence of such clashes, Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho), appealed to security agencies to swiftly address the situation in order to prevent further violence. He called on the governors of Oyo and Ogun States to deploy more security agents to flashpoints experiencing clashes.
In response to these attacks, the Oyo State House of Assembly has directed its Standing Committee on Security and Strategy to investigate the situation in Kujifi, Kosobo, and Ajirowo villages. The House has also urged the State Commissioner of Police to collaborate with the Oyo State Security Network (Amotekun) and local hunters to comb the forests and apprehend the criminals responsible.
Speaking further on the security threats in the forests, the Commandant of Amotekun Corps in the state, Olayanju stated that Governor Makinde is aware, adding that a joint security clearance operation is being planned. Though he did not give details of how and when the clearance operations would be carried out, he revealed that adequate logistics that would allow security agents to move freely in the forests and be successful in the operation were being emplaced by Governor Makinde, including construction of a 40-kilometre road into the forest. The road, he explained, is necessary because the forest cuts across eight local government areas.