Traditional rulers in Ekiti State under the aegis of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, have called on the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel to Ekiti in order to beef up security in the state.

The traditional rulers who stated that the state is under-policed also demanded that the State Government should empower them with adequate resources to police and secure their respective domains to compliment the efforts of the security agencies.

They also agreed that all traditional rulers to take necessary measures to ensure all forests currently occupied by bandits and kidnappers are flushed out immediately and that no bushes and forests should be occupied by anybody.

These were part of the decisions reached by the monarchs in a meeting with Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji at the State Traditional Council Chamber, Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday.

The meeting which was at the instance of the Governor to review security situation in the state and get the input of the obas, was attended by heads of security agencies and the Commander of Amotekun Corps in the State.

Governor Oyebanji in his remarks at the opening session of the meeting which was held behind closed doors, conveyed the condolence message of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the traditional rulers, who lost two of their colleagues –The Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin in Monday attack by some gunmen.

The Governor told the monarchs that investigations into the killings of their colleagues had begun, urged them to cooperate with the security agencies in the course of the investigations. He also told them to come up with an implementable road map for securing their localities, in line with government’s plan to get the local institution play some roles in safety and security of the environment.

“I know that this is a very sad moment for all of us, on behalf of the government of Ekiti state and the President of the Federation, I extend my condolences to all traditional rulers, Mr President asked me to personally expressed his condolences to all of us and he has given me his message for our royal fathers, he said, I should tell you that we are in this together. He said I should make a commitment that those behind this will be fished out as soon as possible. And he said I should also tell you that the children that were abducted, by the special grace of God will be back home unhurt.”

The Governor also stressed the need for collaboration among members of the various communities with the security agencies in the state to achieve the well desired security of lives and properties in the state. He also commended the unity among royal fathers even before the creation of the state which he said had helped in bringing peace to Ekiti.

He stated that the meeting with the traditional rulers was a way out of the present web of insecurity in the state as he believed the deployment of both formal and native security apparatus would bring out the desired result.

“We have our own structures too, we should be in collaboration with our hunters, vigilante groups, with the local government, once I have those resolution and roadmap from our royal fathers, we will then agree with the local government chairmen on how to go about it.

“I covet your support and advice that will help security agencies. Another thing I want to tell our royal fathers is that in an attempt to fish out perpetrators of this sacrilege in this state, a lot of arrests will be made, I will not want our royal fathers to get involved in begging, because, most of the time, when you pick people up, and you want to profile them, they will run to Kabiyesis and they will be pleading on their behalf that he knows nothing about it. I can assure you that if anybody is picked up, he will be profiled, if vindicated, he will be released after investigation. The Governor stated.

Briefing newsmen on the communique reached at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting, the Chairman, Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori Faboro commiserated with the bereaved families and communities of the late Oba Samuel Olusola Olatunji, the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti and Oba David Ogunsakin, the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti and the abducted school children and teachers in Emure-Ekiti same day Monday January 29, 2024.

The traditional rulers also commended Governor Oyebanji for providing quality leadership at this critical time and urged him to remain focused . They also called on patriotic Ekiti indigenes all over the world to generously support their communities to provide local security arrangements to protect lives and property in all communities.

Other decisions reached by the monarchs include the need for native security systems to work together to end all manners of criminality in the state.

The traditional rulers observed one minute silence in respect of the two traditional rulers that were killed before the commencement of the meeting.

Their recommendations are to be conveyed to the Governor for implementation.

•PHOTO: Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji; addressing Ekiti Obas during a meeting held to review the security situation in the State at the Traditional Rulers’ Council Chamber, Ado-Ekiti… on Wednesday

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