"We are getting overwhelmed but the government has a duty not to allow it to get to a point where people will think that the only thing to do now is to take their fate in their own hands.”
Following reports of insecurity in the South-West, Yinka Odumakin, the Secretary-General of Yoruba Socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere, has urged the Nigerian government to take proactive measures to end the killings and kidnapping in the area.
Odumakin, who spoke with Saharareporters on Wednesday, said the region cannot allow armed bandits and herdsmen terrorists to continue to unleash mayhem on their people.
He said the spate of killings and kidnapping in Lagos and Ondo is alarming just as he called on the government not allow it to degenerate to the point where people would resort to taking up arms to defend themselves.
Odumakin bemoaned the lukewarm attitude of the Nigerian government in curbing the growing menace of the activities of the herdsmen in the region.
He said, "Let us just warn those who are behind all these, that you may succeed causing explosions here and there but if you think you are going to force people out of their land, it is a joke. It is not possible.
"We are getting overwhelmed but the government has a duty not to allow it to get to a point where people will think that the only thing to do now is to take their fate in their own hands.”
While commenting on the delay in the operation of the Security Network code-named Amotekun, he said the outfit was undergoing reengineering for better performance.
He also commended the appointment of a retired General, Ajibola Kunle Togun, as commander of the security outfit in Oyo State by Governor Seyi Makinde.
Makinde on March 10, signed the State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) Bill, 2020 into law. The governor remarked that the initiative was purely to complement the existing security agencies in tackling security challenges and not a replacement for the existing ones.