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How To Stop Kidnapping In Ekiti State By Femi Falana

May 21, 2015

During the first term of Governor Ayo Fayose (2003-2006) there were politically motivated killings in Ekiti State. In several reports compiled by the Police and the State Security Service the killings were traced to a killer squad funded by the Ekiti State government.

Solomon Arase Esq.,

Inspector-General of Police,

Police Headquarters,

Louis Edet House,

Abuja.

During the first term of Governor Ayo Fayose (2003-2006) there were politically motivated killings in Ekiti State. In several reports compiled by the Police and the State Security Service the killings were traced to a killer squad funded by the Ekiti State government. Owing to pressure from some concerned citizens the murder suspects and their sponsor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, were charged to court. Apart from Captain Dayo Okondo and his orderly who were convicted for the reckless killing of two students of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, the other suspects were left off the hook as their cases were compromised by the State Ministry of Justice.

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When Chief Segun Oni was the governor (2007-2010), Ekiti State recorded several cases of kidnapping and politically motivated killings. At the height of the breakdown of law and order in the state, a  first class monarch, the Attah of  Aiyede, Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi, and the acting provost, College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, Dr Gabriel Olowoyo,  were kidnapped and  killed in an auto-crash as the abductors tried to escape with them on January 30, 2010. The kidnappers who were seriously injured were arrested by the police. In their confessional statements made to the police at Abuja the kidnappers admitted that they killed Engineer Kehinde Fasuba and not less than 9 policemen within two years of their operation.

Furthermore, they disclosed their links with Mr. Ayo Fayose. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the kidnappers were charged to court at Lokoja, Kogi state and were remanded in prison custody by the trial court. Even though the criminal suspects were freed during an attack on prison they have not been declared wanted by the Prison Authorities. The x-squad department of the Police Headquarters produced a comprehensive report on the activities of the kidnap cabal. 

During the Kayode Fayose Administration (2010-2014), Ekiti State also witnessed politically motivated killings. But to the credit of the police the suspects were arrested and promptly charged to court. One of the suspects is Chief Jide Awe, the Ekiti State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress. For political reasons, some of the serious murder cases pending in the High court were terminated by the Fayemi regime. Upon his return to power 6 months ago, Governor Fayose ensured that the murder cases discontinued by the Fayemi Administration were re-filed in court. However, no progress has been made in the prosecution of the suspects and several others due to the prolonged industrial action by the judicial workers.

In the atmosphere of impunity which obtains in Ekiti State, armed thugs have been operating with the connivance of the state government. The Police and the State Security Service have been officially restrained from arresting the criminal elements. In the circumstance, they have unleashed mindless violence on innocent people. The criminal gang has since been joined by kidnap suspects who escaped from the Lokoja Prison. Hence, the wave of kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes have reached an alarming proportion in Ekiti State. 

While commending you for dispatching a special crack team to Ekiti State headed by a new Commissioner of Police you ought to transfer some of the police officers in the Ekiti State police command for allegedly collaborating with some of the criminal gangs. And to ensure that criminal suspects who are arrested by the Police are promptly charged to court you should impress it on the Ekiti State government to enter into negotiations with the striking judicial workers with a view to reopening the courts without any further delay.

Finally, since Governor Fayose has requested  your good self to intervene in the restoration of law and order in Ekiti State he should be persuaded to allow the police to co-operate with the Ministry of Justice in the prosecution of criminal suspects to prevent the termination of their cases  on grounds of political consideration. As a matter of urgency, all the prison inmates who recently escaped from the Lokoja and Ado Ekiti prisons should be declared wanted.

Kindly accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

Yours sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN, FCI, Arb.