The Southwest Security Stakeholders Group, SSSG, on Friday, warned bandits and other criminal elements to stay away from the southwest region or face the wrath of the group.
The group said this shortly after an emergency meeting held at Omole Phase 2, Ikeja.In a statement jointly signed by its convener and Secretary, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams and Alhaji Owolabi Amusat respectively, the group said there are feelings that bandits have perfected their plans to strike in southwest.
The group said: “In recent times, bandits have variously attacked the North East, North West and North Central, leaving in its wake, disturbing scenes of terror, killings and destruction that are capable of destroying the sanctity of Nigeria.
On this note, the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group has considered it necessary to beef up the security operations in our region, and we charged the police and all other security outfits across the region to remain vigilant in ensuring that the region is safe.
Any attempt to invade the southwest will bring about both economic and political doom.”The group, however, dismissed Sheikh Gumi’s visit to Igboho town, saying the visit was an attempt to mock and undermine the efforts of Yoruba activists and freedom fighters.
It also stated that the Islamic cleric’s body language, utterances and that of his cohorts, Usman Yusuff in Igboho town truly showed that he was behind the DSS attack on Igboho’s Soka home, and that part of the Yoruba territories have been conquered. “Gumi is a Nigerian, he has the right to visit any part of the country but it shouldn’t be to the extent of deliberately attacking Igboho’s ideology in his hometown. Such attempt is provocative, and can lead to crisis as it is in parts of the North. That was why it elicited various reactions. Gumi’s ideas are always at variance with the present reality in the country and I think it is better for him to desist from fanning the embers of discord in the country and the southwest in particular.
“SSSG is driven by the calls to ensure effective security across the southwest. We are also keen on regionalism where each region will control the security architecture of their respective region.
If Nigeria does not return to or go back to regionalism based on the true federalism that we had in the past, there may be crisis and nobody should blame those agitating for self determination.
“But as a group, we will not relent in the struggle to protect the South West and we are determined to partner with the police and other security agencies to combat crime and make the region safe for all and sundry”, the statement noted.
Vanguard
