South-West traditional worshippers back IGP on community policing

Traditional worshippers in the South-West region of the country yesterday said that community policing as canvassed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, would solve the country’s insecurity.

The Obarisa Agbaye of Ijo Olorisa Parapo and Asa Adulawo Organisation, Oba Jamiu Adewale Eletu, who spoke with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, blamed the festering insecurity situation in the country on the over-centralisation of policing.

Eletu, who is the Alawoyaya of Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, said there was an alleged connivance of Yoruba people with the marauding herdsmen to perpetrate kidnappings and killings in a bid to make money, describing this as reason why the challenges were difficult to curtail.He said: “Kidnapping is a serious issue. It is necessary for Yoruba to beware, else what we don’t want will happen to us. Those blaming the Fulani herdsmen should also try and look inwards. No one can come from Kano or Jos and know our terrain. There are fifth columnists among us. Some farms are being used as hideouts and owners are collecting commissions from these criminals.

“How do you get a tight security or want police to be effective when you bring someone from Kano to be heading Ekiti State Police Command? It is sure that there will be compromise. Let there be federal and state police but the state police must be community-based.”

Eletu, who promised that all traditional religious organisations would help the government to fight insecurity, said the body, as part of the ways to promote tradition and culture, would in 2020 hold the first ‘Igba Irunmole Festival ‘ in Ekiti State to promote culture and boost the economy.

He also debunked the insinuation that his members were aiding criminals like armed robbers, kidnappers and Internet fraudsters, called yahoo yahoo boys. He says the role of Oba Olorisa is purely spiritual and the promotion of culture, assuring that these roles will not be done to undermine the traditional stools.