The Ekiti Liberation Front has extended sincere condolences to the traditional rulers and residents of Ekiti State following the tragic killings of two monarchs and the abduction of school pupils. The union strongly condemns these heinous acts and stands in solidarity with the affected families.
Ekiti News reports that the deceased monarchs, Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Dr. Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Ogunsola, were brutally murdered by suspected kidnappers along the Ipao-Oke Ako road in Ikole Local Government Area.
Rev’d Oyewole Lawrence Amb., President of the group, described the killings as a blatant disregard for Yoruba tradition and an assault on governance in Ekiti State. The group also expresses sympathy for the rescued kidnapped pupils and the slain driver of Apostolic Faith Nursery and Primary School in Emure Ekiti.
The Ekiti Liberation Front calls on security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure they face the full wrath of the law. Additionally, the group advocates for tougher penalties for kidnappers, including capital punishment, to serve as a deterrent.
To address the escalating kidnapping trend, the group urges the government to bolster security forces through recruitment, promote community policing, and enhance public education on the consequences of kidnapping.
ELF also recommends outlawing open grazing to curb criminal activities among herdsmen and promoting ranching instead.
Moreover, the group called for the enhancement of intelligence gathering and sharing between the people and security agencies as crucial in preemptively apprehending criminals.
Ekiti Liberation Front commends Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his swift response to the issue and urges him to implement permanent 24-hour surveillance along the Oke Ako route, which has become notorious for criminal activities. However, the group stresses the importance of proactive measures to prevent such incidents from recurring and becoming normalized in society.
The group proposed remedies to combat kidnapping include job creation for youth, implementation of robust security policies, public awareness campaigns, strict monitoring of SIM card registrations for data collection, and discouragement of ransom payments.
Moreover, the group advocates for revamped community policing efforts and measures to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.