ROTIMI Akeredolu, governor of Ondo State, has called on the federal government to examine the situation that led to Sunday Igboho’s intervention in the insecurity crises in both Oyo and Ogun states.
The governor, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday evening, said Igboho was just a child of circumstance.
“Sunday Igboho is a child of circumstance. We must look at the circumstance that led to each of these interventions,” Akeredolu said.
“There are things that we do at times that you have to know what led to them. Those circumstances might not be justifiable, might not be legal, but again when you look at it, you will know we are a child of circumstance.”
He, however, frowned at the illegality, noting that at no point should citizens take laws into their own hands.
“I, for one, have always said that I will not support anyone taking laws into his own hands. That’s why I had to go to Ibadan.
“That’s why I will go to every other place in the South-West to preach about illegality and that we are against illegal actions. We are not for it at all.”
Shasha violence: Call for calm
Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the South-West governors, while reacting to the violence that led to the loss of several lives and properties after a Yoruba man was allegedly killed by an Hausas man in Shasha market, Ibadan on Friday, sued for calm.
He said all the governors in the South-West region “note with deep concern, the most unfortunate and avoidable orgy of violence in Shasha, Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.”
“Without doubt, the situation we have found ourselves as a people is most despicable and contends violently against and is abhorrently at variance with the values and hospitality for which our people are known.
“We have been known for thoroughness. We have identified with legality over the centuries; and our ethos as a civilised breed of people is such that we do not identify with lawlessness, not even illegality,” Governor Akeredolu further said.
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He asked residents of the region to be law-abiding, saying he understood “the height of provocation in the light of recent happenings as regards Shasha, Ibadan. I, alongside my other brother governors in the region, am against the willful appropriation of laws into one’s hands.”
“We do not support violence and, in particular, brigandage, jungle justice and unnecessary self-help. We note with delight, the efforts of our brother governor, Engr Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who has taken very bold steps to stave off the further escalation of the violence by imposing curfew in the affected areas.
“He deserves every support in his avowed commitment towards peace and security in Oyo State. We shall all survive these times and live peacefully, once again in our lands.”
Sunday Igboho
Igboho, an Oyo indigene, has been in the news in recent times after he issued an ultimatum of one week quit notice to Fulani herdsmen residing in Ibarapa area of Oyo State over the spate of kidnappings and killings attributed to herdsmen in the area.
When his two weeks ultimatum expired, he led some youths to Fulani herdsmen in the area where property worth millions of naira was burnt and destroyed.
Earlier this month, he had also led some youths to Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State where herdsmen were said to be terrorising farmers and residents.
A Fulani settlement in Igua area of the local government was reportedly set on fire by some of the youth after Igboho’s visit to the community.
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