Security

Igangan Attack: Lawmaker Urges Governor Makinde to Assist Victims

By Web News 461

Eight months after the invasion of Igangan town in Ibarapaland by suspected herders and armed bandits , the Oyo State House of Assembly has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to fulfill his promise to the victims of the ill-fated attack.

The appeal was contained in a motion brought to the House by Mr. Peter Ojedokun representing Ibarapa North/Central State Constituency.

Mr Ojedokun in the motion recalled that aside from the series of attacks experienced by Igangan last year, the town was invaded on the 5th of June, 2021 leaving many deaths and houses, shops, filling stations and vehicles including lorries loaded with goods razed completely. 

Mr Ojedokun appreciated Governor Makinde for his prompt intervention through the deployment of security agencies to the town, the free treatment giving to those injured in the attack as well as the presentation of cash to the families of the Amotekun Commander and four others killed in the attack.

The motion read in part ” The severity of the attack and the magnitude of the damage and destruction has no doubt brought untold hardship to the victims and their families and has negatively affected their businesses and means of livelihood hence the need for Governor Makinde to put measures in place to compile the list of victims of the attack and provide succor and assistance for them in line with his promise”

He also urged the Oyo State Government to make credit and loan facilities available through the Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Trade , Investment, Cooperatives and Industry to businessmen and women as well as other individuals who lost their goods and properties during the attack.

In its resolutions, the house appealed to the Oyo State Government to work through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport as well as Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters towards rebuilding the palace of the Asigangan burnt by the assailants.

The Oyo State House of Assembly called for all round security surveillance especially in areas already identified as flashpoints in Iganganland to nib any of such future attacks in the bud while also commending the Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and other security Agencies for making the town and indeed the whole of Ibarapaland safe again.

Mosope Kehinde

News

Oyo Govt Clears Air On Alleged Igangan Invasion

By Web News 604

The Oyo State Government, on Saturday, declared that contrary to the widely circulated report that unknown gunmen had, again, attacked Igangan and other parts of Ibarapa on Friday, community leaders have declared that the invaders were men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Political and traditional leaders of Ibarapa extraction described the evening raid on the Igbo Ora and other communities by men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as unnecessary and not well-thought-out.
The leaders, including the Olu of Igbo Ora, Oba Jimoh Olajide Titiloye, and the Chairman of Ibarapa North Local Government, Hon. Adeoye Adedoyin, spoke at a meeting held in Igbo Ora with a fact-finding team of the Oyo State Government, led by the Executive Assistant on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd).
The leaders said that it was regrettable that the Customs Service troubled the peace of the area when its men stormed Ibarapaland, shooting sporadically.
The Olu of Igbo Ora, who was first to speak, said that the Customs’ raid left Igbo Ora and other adjoining towns in disarray following the raid that left three persons, including an Amotekun operative dead.
“The raid left so much turmoil in our communities as the Customs men came, shooting sporadically. Many of our people ran helter-skelter.
“We want it stated loud and clear that our communities, Igbo Ora, Igangan and Ayete are not border towns. Why should Customs turn the communities to theatres of bloodshed and war?
“We want Customs to regulate their operations. It will be better if the authorities restrict them to border towns to end unwarranted attacks on innocent communities,” the Olu of Igbo Ora said.
Chairman of Ibarapa North Local Government, Hon. Adedoyin, also told the meeting that the raid left a sour taste in the mouth, as, according to him, peace had returned to the area following the series of security steps taken by the State and Local Government after the last attack on the area by suspected herdsmen.
“We have received the cooperation of state and non-state actors in our efforts aimed at boosting security. The hunters, Amotekun and other security agencies have been cooperating fully, but we were shocked to hear reports of sporadic gunshots and commotion that ensued after a raid by men of Customs Service.
“That raid is regrettable because it threatened the peace of our area,” the Council Chairman said.
Odukoya, the Executive Assistant to Governor Makinde, in his address, called for vigilance and calm among the people, adding that the community policing and integrated policing initiative of the administration has been effective.
He said that the police in the area have confirmed the death of one Amotekun operative and two other persons following the said raid.
The team, which later visited Igangan, Ayete, Tapa, locations in Igbo Ora, was accompanied by traditional rulers and community leaders from across Ibarapa land.

Signed
Taiwo Adisa
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde
July 17, 2021.

Security

Oyo Speaker takes step to tackle insecurity in Ibarapa

By Web News 706

As part of his swift measure to end the unfortunate trend of insecurity in Ibarapaland, the Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin has donated fifteen new motorcycles to indigenous security outfits in Ibarapaland.
Mr Ogundoyin who is representing Ibarapa East State Constituency had earlier promised to support every local security outfits, during an emergency security meeting in the region after the Sunday bandits’ attack on the people of Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government.
The attack which happened at the early hours of Sunday when residents of Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government had retired to bed was allegedly masterminded by bandits and suspected criminal herders in which about 21 residents lost their lives, some injured and properties burnt including the palace of the Ashigangan of Igangan.
While presenting the motorcycles to community leaders and heads of local security bodies at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Eruwa, Ogundoyin said the donation was to improve the mobility of indigenous security personnel including Amotekun, OPC, local Hunters, vigilance groups and to enhance their operation 
“They continue to compliment the efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in securing lives, properties and our territories from bandits and criminals.
“A peaceful community cannot be overemphasized. If our societies are not secured, who will utilize the infrastructures that we are providing as government? Who will attend the free schools or even engage in their various economic activities and businesses.
“As these men of great courage volunteer to sacrifice their sleep, time, sweat and resources for the sake of our communities, we shall support them with all to make the task a reality in Ibarapa East, Central and North Local governments, and of course across Oyo State. With God on our side, We Shall Overcome the scourge of insecurity in our land” The Speaker stressed.
In his words, the Area Commander, Eruwa Area Command, ACP Peter Ugochuckwu appreciated the Speaker for his gesture and support for the existing security structures for the safety of the people and the community.
While admonishing the people to always support the police with available and useful security information, he noted that the community will always experience peace and security when they work and support the activities of the police.
He said, “I want our people to know that police officers have no power to kill a suspect even when caught in the act. Lots of time people have accused us openly of collecting bribes and releasing suspects granted bail by the court.
“We will keep appealing to the community residents to come to us and ask questions when confused about how we go about our jobs, so that we can maintain mutual respect and cordial relationship. We are also grateful for this prompt gesture by the speaker, it is an evidence that he is passionate about the safety of his people.”
Also speaking, Chairman, Eruwa Council of Elders, Chief Joseph Peluola expressed happiness over the Speaker’s concern and swift action to the need of the people.

Mosope Kehinde

Security

Igangan Crisis: NSCDC Seeks Cooperation of Residents

By Web News 637

Oyo State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mr Iskilu Akinsanya has called on the residents of Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government of Oyo State to eschew violence and embrace peace to collectively enjoy calm atmosphere. 

Mr Akinsanya made this known today at the Command State Headquarters Agodi Ibadan while deploying more reinforcement’s team of Agro Rangers and Counter Terrorism personnel to join other team patrol the area and combing the forest with Operation Burst.

He called on the residents to support the Security agents deployed to their town with information to curb crime and criminality.

Commandant Akinsanya who promised to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to book if arrested also adviced the people not to take law into their hand but to support the Security agencies in their area and State government effort in curbing crime and incessant attack.

He commiserated with HisRoyal Highness the Asigangan of Igangan, the entire residents of Ibarapa and prayed for peace, protection and divine safety from above.

Rasheedat Makinde

Security

Igangan Killing: Perpetrators Would Be Brought To Book- Oyo CP

By Web News 633

Normalcy has returned to Igangan, Ibarapa North area of Oyo state following the attack on the residents at the weekend by some unknown gunmen which led to the death of Eleven people.

This was made possible following the use of Intelligence and Tactical apparatuses consisting of Police Mobile Force personnel, Patrol units and other tactical teams with Local Hunters and Vigilantes from the Community.

According to the Secretary, Igangan Farmers Association, Mr. Taiwo Adeagbo, people have started going about their businesses.

Earlier, The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Ngozi Onadeko had  assured  the residents that the perpetrators would be brought to book.

The Commissioner of Police further appeal to the people of Igangan community to trust the system and shun self help in obtaining justice.

Some suspected armed bandits in their numbers had invaded Igangan Community in early hours of Sunday to unleash mayhem on members of the community

Radio Nigeria gathered that those that lost their lives included some of the assailants and some indigenes.

A number of vehicles and buildings including the Palace of the Asigangan of Igangan town and a filling station were burnt down.

Meanwhile, The South West Security Network, codenamed, Amotekun has begun a joint operations in all the South West States of the country to prevent recurrence.

In another development, the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin has held an urgent security meeting with elders, heads of security agencies and other stakeholders in Ibarapaland.

The meeting held at Ayete in Ibarapa North Local Government had in attendance the Police Area Commander, Ibarapa CSP Ojo Emmanuel, Political functionaries from the zone, Local Government Chairmen in the area, Community leaders and other stakeholders.

The Speaker said the meeting was meant to assess the situation, know the cause of the attack, put security operatives on red alert and put other urgent measures in place to forestall further attacks.

Abisola Oluremi

Security

Igangan Killing: Amotekun To Begin Joint Operations In S’West

By Web News 548

The South West Security Network, otherwise referred to as Amotekun is to begin joint operations in the states of the South West region of the country immediately.

The outfit has already been directed to convoke a joint meeting of the commanders with the intention of fashioning out a strategy.

Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, made this known on Sunday in a statement he issued on the killing in Igangan.

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen were reported to have invaded Igangan in Oyo State Saturday night and killed some persons.

He said although some people were hell bent on causing havoc in the country, “we on our part are resolved to defend our people, their property, and all legitimate means of livelihood against both internal and external aggression. On this, there will be no compromise.”

His words: “While we will encourage the security agencies to get to the root of this latest act of provocation, we have directed the commanders of the South West Security Network, Amotekun, to convoke a joint security meeting of all Commanders in the South West with a view to commencing joint operations in the region immediately.

“We must reiterate the fact that certain elements are bent on causing friction among the peoples of this country with the sole aim of achieving a pernicious end. They will stop at nothing until their set goal is realized. It is, therefore, incumbent on all lovers of peace and freedom to rise against this current regression into savagery.

“We on our part are resolved to defend our people, their property, and all legitimate means of livelihood against both internal and external aggression. On this, there will be no compromise.”

The chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, called on the people in the region to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement in their communities to the security agencies.

Adewumi Faniran

Security

Igangan Attack: Oyo Speaker Holds Emergency Security Meeting In Ibarapaland

By Web News 629

Following late Saturday’s attack on Igangan Community by suspected Fulani herders and bandits which led to the death of not less than twenty people and property including a palace burnt, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin has held an urgent security meeting with elders , heads of security agencies and other stakeholders in Ibarapaland.

The meeting held at Ayete in Ibarapa North Local Government had in attendance the Police Area Commander, Ibarapa CSP Ojo Emmanuel, Political functionaries from the zone, Local Government Chairmen in the area, Community leaders and other stakeholders.

The Speaker said the meeting was meant to assess the situation, know the cause of the attack , put security operatives on red alert and put other urgent measures in place to forestall further attacks.

The Speaker said he rushed to Ibarapaland because the unprovoked attack was hellish and the casualty and the level of destruction was inconceivable and monumental.

” There’s increased tension in Ibarapaland as we speak. This latest attack was yet another unprovoked assault. This is a well orchestrated attack on our people by blood sucking vampires. This is sad. We need to be more united than ever before to face this rampaging bandits and blood thirsty evils.

” Our zone is under siege to say the least. Our people were murdered in their sleep and their property destroyed. Our traditional Institution has been desecrated. Or how do we explain the burning down of the palace of the Asigangan of Igangan. This is odd and tormenting. ” The Speaker stressed

According to him, the meeting appealed to security agencies to comb all the forest and identified hideouts of the criminals in order to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.

The Speaker said with this latest attack, special security arrangement must be put in place for the whole of Ibarapaland as the place seems to be the target of heinous crimes and attacks by evil doers.

The Area Commander, Ibarapa CSP Ojo Emmanuel assured that security has reinforced in Igangan and its environs and appealed to residents to assist with useful information.

Mosope Kehinde

Crime

Fresh Attacks in Igangan Claims Multiple Lives

By Web News 719

Scores of people have been allegedly killed in  Igangan by unknown gunmen.
According to a resident who did not want his name mentioned, the bandits struck at exactly midnight with sophisticated weapons, and started entering houses ,shooting sporadically.
It was alleged that many vehicles were burnt, including a truck loaded with cassava flour.
 A filling station was also burnt during the crisis.
The source added that the casualty included the attackers,some residents of Igangan that were trying to fight back,and an  officer of Amotekun called Adeagbo .
As at the time of this report,normalcy has returned to the area as security personnel have been drafted to the ancient town.
Radio Nigeria efforts to get the Oyo state  police public relations officer, Adewale Oshifeso was abortive as he did not pick his call neither did he reply to a message sent to him.
Meanwhile the state commandant of Amotekun,Olayinka Olayanju explained that his officers had been at the scene of the incident.
Abisola Oluremi

Security

Ibarapa Mayhem:NACOMYO Calls for Compensation for Victims

By Web News 677

National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations, NACOMYO has called on Oyo State Government to compensate victims and families of the lost ones in the recent mayhem in Igangan and other parts of Ibarapaland.

This is contained in a statement in Ibadan by Coordinator, NACOMYO,  Oyo State Chapter, Alhaji Dawood Afolabi.

Alhaji Afolabi, who conveyed sympathies of the organization to the families of the victims, said the compensation should not be delayed as it would aid in rebuilding the areas.

He also enjoined the State Government to ensure that perpetrators of the killings and destruction of property in the affected areas were brought to quick justice.

Alhaji Afolabi noted that the seeming slow response of the State Government to address the spate of killings, kidnapping, rape and forceful invasion of farmlands in the areas was responsible for the civil unrest in Ibarapaland. 

“This is because nature abhors vacuum, especially in emergency situation like insecurity in which survival strategies cannot be limited to those approved by law but rather those perceived as effective to guarantee people’s safety. This perhaps accounted for resorting to self help or seeking the help of ethnic militia and opportunists as activists’.

The NACOMYO coordinator wondered why the state governor failed to visit  the hot spots and commiserate with the people as such would have doused the tension abinitio.

” Since  the time when it became  an everyday affair  for people  to be in bondage as a result of money  minded  criminals  in Ibarapa , the Governor never paid a visit  to commiserate  with the victims. We also  wonder what the Amotekun  corps were doing and the village  vigilantes under  the Baales and village heads. What is absolutely  clear is that there could not be any external insurrection  without  the collusion  of internal traitors”.

Alhaji Afolabi strongly condemned attempts to ascribe the crimes in the areas to a particular ethnic group, as criminality has no religious or ethnic boundaries. 

“For those who are bent on the secession of the Yoruba tribe from Nigeria and also criminalizing or demonizing a particular tribe as they think it’s the quickest way  to achieve  their obnoxious and irresponsible ambition. They lack sense of history. Those who saw hell during the Biafran war will not pray  for a civil  war”.

He also lauded the replacement of the service chiefs which is long overdue hoping that there will be a positive change in the security architecture of the nation.

Alhaji Afolabi reminded states and local governments as well as other tiers of government benefitting from the distribution of national treasury to take security of lives and property as a top priority. 

“They should know that the primary responsibility of any government is security as there cannot be any investment in an unsafe environment”.

Ridwan Fasasi

Crime

Oyo Police Arrests 47 Armed Men In Igangan

By Web News 833

Oyo State Police Command have confirmed the arrest of forty-seven armed men in Igangan area of the state.

The suspects were arrested by men of the State Joint Anti-Crime Security Patrol team code-named “Operation Burst”.

The suspected hoodlums who were caught with guns and other dangerous weapons were allegedly on a reprisal attack mission to the area.

They were said to be arrested in a convoy of buses.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Olugbenga Fadeyi, said the arrested hoodlums claimed that they were trailing some kidnappers who were about to collect ransom from relations of a kidnapped victim.

He added that investigation has begun while the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

“Though, it was alleged that the Fulani men claimed they were trailing some kidnappers who were about to collect ransom from relations of a kidnapped victim.”

According to unconfirmed sources, the armed Fulani men were allegedly invited by their kinsmen to strike in the area following the raid carried out by the men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun in the axis on Saturday.

Abisola Oluremi

Crime

Again Another Man Abducted In Oke Ogun

By Web News 1270

A thirty-five-year-old man, Monsuru popularly called Olowo Ẹgẹ has been kidnapped in Oke-Agbede, Igangan area of Oyo State.

It was gathered that he was abducted from his home on Monday night.

A leader in the community, Mr Taiwo Adeagbo, described the incident as unfortunate.

Mr Adeagbo further called on government and security operatives to urgently addressed kidnapping cases in Ibarapa zone.

Just two days ago, a medical doctor, one Akindele, was kidnapped in his hospital in Idere while three persons were killed by yet to be identified gunmen in Ibarapa zone.

Speaking on the incident, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi said he was yet to be briefed on the issue.

Abisola Oluremi