Igangan killings

Editorial

It is tragic that Nigeria has become a killing field. Across the country, whether in the east, west or north, the story is one of mass killings, as if life has become worthless. One of such killings took place in Igangan, Ibarapa, Oyo State, where about 11 people were murdered in cold blood. According to reports, the invasion of Igangan lasted for about five hours, during which many houses, including the palace of Ashigangan of Igangan, Oba Lasisi Adeoye, vehicles, and a filing station were also razed.

Surprisingly, despite the hype about security consciousness in that part of the country, attackers operated for hours, maiming and killing citizens. While the attack lasted, where were the police, the army, the Department of State Security and a host of other security agencies? According to reports, the state government was warned about the impending attack. If that is true, we condemn the lack of protection of the citizens, whose lives and properties have now been destroyed.

We wonder what impact the south-west security apparatchik, otherwise called Amotekun has on security of the region. We note the recent directive by the governors of the region for the corps to start a joint patrol. Of course, the major challenge facing the Amotekun Corps is that its personnel are not authorised to bear arms, necessitating the demand by the governors for the approval of the Federal Government to enable them bear arms.

The carnage in Igangan shows the need for governors of the south-west to collaborate with their colleagues from other regions to push forward their legitimate demand for the Federal Government to authorise the various joint security outfits to bear arms. Of note, nearly all the governors of the 36 states support the urgent need for state police, yet no concrete step has been taken to actualise the worthwhile demand. We urge the attorneys-general of the states to jointly send a bill to the National Assembly to effect the required constitutional amendment.

In the interim, the governor of Oyo State has expressed willingness to arm the Amotekun Corps with AK47, if the Federal Government authorises that. We consider it strange that while private persons are authorised to bear arms, state established security outfits are not. There is nothing stopping the appropriate authorising agency from issuing licence to the state security outfit to bear arms, in the interest of the security and welfare of the citizens, which is the primary purpose of government.

Many Nigerians are appalled that the Federal Government has not stoutly condemned the attack. Those who vehemently condemn attacks on eminent Nigerians must also show concern for the wanton destruction and killings in Igangan and other rural areas. The President who has vowed to use the army and police to deal with separatist groups, should muster similar anger to deal with armed herdsmen causing the crisis that fuel the demand for the dismemberment of the country.

The commissioner of police, the army chiefs and the heads of state security services, as well as other security agencies operating in Oyo State should explain what they did to prevent the attack or even deal with the invaders. Where were they while the attack which started at about 11 p.m. penultimate Saturday lasted for five hours? How could they be missing while about 50 attackers rode into the town in about 20 motorcycles to destroy Igangan?

What have they made of the allegation that the son of the Sarkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salihu, had boasted that the town would be razed, after his father was forced out of the town over allegations of aiding and abetting killings, kidnappings, and destruction of farmlands?

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