Foremost traditional ruler, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has assured the people of the state that the security situation, particularly the spate of kidnappings will soon be nip in the bud in the next few weeks.
The Alaafin gave the assurance on Monday after he led members of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs on a courtesy visit and close door session to the state Governor Abiola Ajimobi in his Agodi Government Office, Ibadan.
The monarch who refused to disclose the strategies and plans been put in place by the traditional rulers, noted that the members of the Council decided to visit the governor to intimate him of their plans and strategies on the security challenges as the Chief Security Officer of the state.
Some of the traditional rulers in the company of the first class monarch include the Eleruwa of Eruwaland, Obas Samuel Adegbola, the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Abdulganiy Salaudeen, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun among other eminent traditional rulers and chiefs from across the state.
Fielding questions from journalists after the meeting, Alaafin noted that the traditional rulers and chiefs are doing so much in their various domains but cannot do much independently of the government and other security agencies, adding that everything the traditional rulers are doing must be done with the consent and approval of the governor and the security agencies to finally nail kidnappings in the state.
He said “We cannot act independently of the government and other security agencies and that is one of the issues we have discussed with the Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the chief law officer of the state.
“We must all be very careful, we don’t want to reveal the strategies and plans we have yet. These kidnappers are also in our midst and we are working with various security agencies and other apparatus of government to see that this thing is nip in the bud.
“Traditional rulers are making efforts in our various domains, but we are been careful and that is why we have come to talk with our governor, being the Chief Security Officer of the state.
“We cannot do anything behind him without telling him our plans and for him to be aware and approve. There are some things we want to do and we have told him and we want him to approve all that we have come up with as plans and strategy and for him to make inputs.
“One of the good things about it is that this current Governor Ajimobi is the one that restored peace and security back to the state and there has not been lawlessness and brigandage in the last eight years of his reign and he also uses the state security apparatus in the interest of the state.
“Ours is to ensure that we add to it. These people who are into kidnapping are also in our midst and we must be careful not to reveal our tactics being done underground. But I can assure you that within a short while, the people will see the difference and God will help us to ensure that our territory is free from every form of kidnapping and such others.
“The traditional rulers are actually working round the clock to ensure that within their own local areas, that they have vigilante groups to ensure that the lives and property of the people are saved. By the grace of God within the next two or three weeks, the people will see the results of our efforts.”
While receiving the visitors in the company of the members of the State Executive Council earlier at the executive chamber of the office, Governor Ajimobi thanked the traditional rulers for their support to his administrations over the years, noting that despite the level of rot he inherited from past administrations, his government remained focus to record all he could by the grace of God.
“Before I became the governor of this state, the situation I met and inherited obviously from the previous administrations was gross insecurity. There was hardly a place you can peacefully pass within Ibadan.
“I want to give thanks to God and people of the state for the opportunity I was given to serve them for a complete eight years. This is indeed worthy of showing gratefulness to Him and the people. Despite ups and downs, we remained the longest-serving governor in the history of the state.”
He expressed optimism that the incoming government would sustain the peace and security being enjoyed in the state for the past eight years while highlighting his administration’s achievements in all sectors of the state economy since assumption of office in 2011
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