A Federal lawmaker, Oladipupo Adebutu, has called for tighter security measures to ensure the protection of lives and property in the riverine communities in Ogun State.
Adebutu made the call while raising an urgent point of order on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday in the wake of the heightened activities of militants and kidnappers in Iwopin, Ibiade, Abigi, Ode Omi and Makun Omi, all located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
According to him, “The most recent attacks saw killings, brigandage and abduction of local residents and some foreigners. During the attacks hoodlums broke into the police station, killed an officer and raided the armoury, carting away arms and ammunition”.
He said the break down in security overtime had paralysed socio- economic activities, including the closure of the local branches of banks and markets, adding that the dangerous situation had led to loss of lives, property and income as well as resulting in mass desertion as the residents lived in perpetual fear for their lives.
Adebutu, who represents Sagamu, Ikenne and Remo North Federal Constituency, noted that the Save Our Souls messages from the residents to the state government had so far yielded no fruits.
He reminded the House that Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution states that the security and welfare of the people is the primary purpose of government, and called on the Federal Government to order all security agencies to beef up security for the protection of lives and property in Ijebu land and its environs.
The lawmaker appealed to the government to deal decisively with this challenge and make the communities safe again for indigenes and inhabitants alike.
The Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, mandated the House Committees on Special Duties and Police Affairs to ensure full implementation of tougher security arrangements.
Adebutu, who also doubles as the Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development, had earlier paid a visit to the affected communities on May 21 to commiserate with them on the ugly incident, which claimed the lives of four people, including a policeman, while properties worth several millions of naira were also damaged.
The lawmaker had during his visit condemned the action of the militants and kidnappers as very wicked, barbaric, unwarranted and unacceptable.
He said it was very impossible for him to sit down and watch while innocent and law-abiding residents got killed, calling on the government to urgently tighten security in the Ijebu Waterside communities and other vulnerable areas along the coastline in order to avoid a repeat of such dastardly act.
This, according to him, would engender peace among the people and also prevent loss of lives and property.
He, however, enjoined them to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while also assuring them of government’s intervention on the long-abandoned electrification of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, which had brought untold hardship to the people.
