Insecurity: South-West has lost over N3b to ransom within four years – Gani Adams

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani  Adams on Thursday said the South-west region had lost over N3 billion as ransom paid to bandits and kidnappers ravaging the region in the last four years.

Speaking at the South-west Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG) conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Iba Adams pointed out that the spate of insecurity in the region had reached an alarming dimension, insisting that the region had also lost great sons and daughters to the ravaging scourge.

Adams, however, said the presence and emergence of the South-west Security Stakeholders Group was to rescue the growing security deficit across the region, adding that the group is always ready to support and partner with state security agencies in order to nip the security challenges in the region in the bud.

“The Southwest has lost over N3 billion as ransom paid to bandits and kidnappers ravaging the region in the last four years. And sadly too, we have lost a good number of our great sons and daughters to the criminal activities of the killer herdsmen and bandits.

“The situation in the country is so worrisome that travellers can hardly travel for a journey of about six hours in the country without facing the trauma of being kidnapped or killed by bandits. The recent killing in Jos was a sad reminder of the gory situation we face daily across the country,

 “At every point in time in the region,  insecurity has reached an alarming dimension where there is an urgent need for us to take drastic action  towards ending the prevailing scourge.”

In his remarks, the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Gbenga Akingbehin from the Department of Law and Criminology, University of Lagos, said there are various factors that are responsible for the security challenges faced in the country.

Akingbehin maintained that Nigeria is a multi ethnic state with complicated issues, adding that the  forced amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 became the country’s  biggest albatross.

He faulted the long years of military rule in Nigeria, saying the long years military created the leeway for crime and criminal tendency.

“Insecurity is state of fear in our society. This can be traced to many years of military rule, when arms and ammunition were imported into the country, especially during the civil war that lasted for four years.

“The terrorist attack of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2011 was a rude shock to the United States and the International communities. But the Americans never waivered in their resolve to fight terrorism to the end,

“Therefore, security and welfare of the citizens should be the primary responsibility of the government.

Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo applauded the efforts of the group, saying the convener, and the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland had done wonderfully well in securing the region

 Ogun state Commissioner of police, Edward Ajogun implored all the security operatives not to take laws in their hands, insisting that the police will support any group that is ready to support the police in combating crimes.

Prominent groups present at the conference include the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC), Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Agbekoya COMSAIC and Isokan Oodua among others.