BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Determined to rid Ondo State of crime and criminality, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has warned the Ebiras community in the state to flush out criminals among them and partner with the government to make the State safe and secure for all residents.
He said having lived together and interacted with indigenes of the state for so long, the Ebira people should not allow criminal elements to tarnish their image built over their years through industry and the farming trade.
Addressing a meeting with the leaders of the Ebira community in the state at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office, Alagbaka in Akure, the State capital on Saturday, Governor Akeredolu charged the Ebira leaders to caution their wards to desist from venturing into the kidnapping business and other forms of criminality.
The Governor, who spoke to journalists after the closed-door meeting, said it was convened given recent developments around the June 5, 2022 attack in Owo and other kidnapping cases in the state, stressing that the Ebira Community Leaders have received the marching order to purge themselves of criminal elements.
He said in order to protect their name and integrity in the state and the Ebira community, the Leaders have been tasked to handle the situation the best way, saying; “We summoned this meeting with our brothers. They are not new here but because of the recent developments that have to do with the Owo massacre and kidnappings, we have to call ourselves.
“I can assure you all that we have had a very frank discussion with ourselves and the leader of the Ebiras in Ondo State spoke on behalf of Ebiras and a few other persons. It is clear that the message from us to them is well understood and we have assurance from the Ebiras who are living in Ondo State that they would corporate with the security agencies and that the incident in Owo was something that they themselves felt very bad about.”
Offering further insight on developments so far, Governor Akeredolu said; “I also have received a letter from Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, that is the leader of Ebira in the World, commiserating again and expressing his own embarrassment on what happened.
“So, we leave here today with the belief that our brothers, Ebira that are here, would at the least work to ensure that there is security in Ondo State, and in doing that, we have charged them to discuss with all their people.
“They have assured us they would do that and we want to call on our people that at least, let us continue with our brotherliness and maintain the good relationship we have had with them in the past. We believe that it is not those who are residing here that came to perpetrate this crime. That is what they have said and we should give them another chance.”
The governor, who assured that the government would not relent in ensuring peace prevails in Ondo State, said; “Let us live together in peace and I hope and pray that the Ebiras who are here in Ondo State will work with the government and security agencies to make sure that criminals are flushed out within our midst and they have our cooperation in whatever way they wish,” he noted.
At the meeting, the Ebira Community Leaders were led by the Odeyani Anabira, Zubair Dan Musa, and Alhaji Chief Abdulazeez Majeobaje Akure, State Chairman of Ebira Union. Others in attendance included the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 17, Mr Yusuf Mohammed Akeera; Heads of Security Agencies; members of the State Executive Council; and Chairmen of the six Local Government Councils in the Northern Senatorial districts of the State.
