Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the murder of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s Principal Private Secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
The former Vice President noted that the rate at which human life is becoming so easy to snuff was not only intolerable and embarrassing but also a direct challenge to law and order.
He explained that frequent violence or lawlessness in the country poses a threat to social and political stability.
Abubakar therefore, urged the federal and state governments to redouble efforts to stem the threats of criminality in the country.
Prominent rights activist lawyer, Kayode Oladele, said Oyerinde’s killing by “the wicked murderers is tragic and heartbreaking.”
Oladele said further: “We all wish we could undo what had happened and bring him back because to those of us that knew this very great mind and intellect, the world is a lesser place without Laitan in it.
“Indeed, the last time we met in Lagos, he told me of his plans to return to the Nigerian Labour Congress after the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo State.
“He said it was only after the elections that the comrade Governor could release him if at all he would approve of his exit plans.
“It was as if Laitan had the premonition of this sordid act even though, from our discussion, he seemed to be very concerned with what he perceived as a very serious leadership crisis at the secretariat of the NLC at the time.
“The level of violence Nigeria continues to witness is alarming and unacceptable.
“The country is fast growing into a state where the government cannot even perform the minimum task of a state, being unable to control unruly elements and offer citizens a modicum of security and protection.
“And because criminals have little or nothing to fear from the state, its elements ignore state power and its machinery; hence, there is a gradual collapse of law and order even as the state has demonstrated helplessness in dealing with the spate of violence. “This is a time when efforts should be geared towards ensuring internal security in the country, but we have too many assurances without any security.
“I wish I had words that could make our pains at this time less, but I call on the Nigeria Police not to treat Laitan’s murder as yet another case of unsolved murder in Nigeria.
“Finally, my thoughts and prayers go to his immediate family as they grieve the loss of their beloved son, husband, father and bread winner.”
Another lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, said of Oyerinde’s killing: “I lack words to describe my pain concerning the wicked cold blood murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde today in Benin by some agents of darkness.
“This is certainly too much of a loss for the labour movement and the civil society in general to bear.
“Olaitan was undoubtedly one of our very best.
“This is a big tragedy that will be difficult to recover from.
“He was a thinker and ideologue of the working people and one of the finest socialists that I have ever met.
“He accepted to work for Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State, as his Private Secretary based on his internationalist disposition since he hailed from Osun State.
“I am aware that there have been moves lately by some of the leaders of the NLC to wrest him from Edo State to help rebuild the Congress which has undoubtedly witnessed some leadership crises lately.
“As a matter of fact he called me to intimate me with the moves and seek my opinion.
“Now I can only wish that he had left Edo before the wicked assassins and their patrons struck.
“Those who masterminded the killing of Olaitan are little minds who were scared of his enormous intellect and organizational acumen, both of which he marshalled in aid of the current Governor of the State.
“Those who kill men of ideas betray the ignorance that ideas do not die with those who propound or profess them. “The ideas cherished and articulated by Olaitan remain indestructible.
“The Police and other security agencies must not treat this as one of those unsolvable murders. “The IGP and others must get to the root of this unacceptable and callous act of cutting down a truly promising and progressive Nigerian in his bloom for whatever reason.
“The concern for now is that living in Nigeria has become such a huge risk as law enforcement agents are ever incompetent to apprehend and deal with assassins that are now on the prowl.
“If we call on the IGP and the Commissioner of Police to resign, they will not heed the call.
“Our generation will be failing this country if we do not use Olaitan’s painful murder as a basis to retake this country in all sense of that word.
“We cannot overcome by lamenting.
“We must act IMMEDIATELY.
“The ball is in our court.
“I am willing to join our comrades and compatriots to do anything possible to retake this country.
“Enough of the nonsense.”