More Pressures on IGP to remove Ondo CP
Unknown gunmen who kidnapped a former Ondo State Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Mr. Bunmi Falodun popularly known as Gaddafi and his wife, Bunmi, along Ikare- Oba Akoko-Owo road on Saturday evening have demanded N100m as a ransom for their release.
This is just some groups in the state have called for the redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, following the incessant cases of kidnapping and other crimes in the state.
The academic environment of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, (RUGIPO) was thrown into another confusion on Monday, following the abduction of one of the institution’s lecturer, Mr. Micheal Olopete on Saturday, by unknown gunmen on Owo-Akure route.
A source close to the family of the NULGE chieftain disclosed that the kidnappers demanded N100m as ransom to secure the release of couple and another relative, Ayewumi Ogunsemore, in the captives of kidnappers.
The President of NULGE in the state, Conrade Taiwo Bola, confirmed that the family had been contacted but did not disclose the amount demanded as ransom for the release of his member.
Comrade Bola, however, said negotiation with the kidnappers was still ongoing and assured that “hopefully things will be sorted out as soon as possible, so that Gaddafi and his family members can regain their freedom.”
The three victims who were kidnapped on Saturday evening while coming from a social functions in Ikare Akoko are civil servants in the state.
In the same vein, the kidnappers had demanded the sum of N30m for the release of the RUGIPO lecturer, Olopete, who was kidnapped around Ipele road.
The development led the staff, students and management of the institution to embark on a prayer and fasting while a special prayer session was organised by the school on Monday in the school premises.
It was however gathered that Olopete regained his freedom from his abductors on Monday evening after the payment of N4m ransom.
A colleague of the victim at RUGIPO disclosed that “the lecturer has been released, a friend just confirmed to me now. He spoke with some of us some few minutes ago”
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Femi Agagu, also confirmed the release of Olopete but did not confirm if any ransom was paid before he was released by his abductors.
However, some groups in the state have called for the removal of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, following frequent cases of kidnappings in the state.
The group under the auspices of the Sunshine Liberation Front (SLF) and Ondo Youths for Good Governance, (OYGG) called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris to replace Adeyanju with a more competent officer, saying the police in the state had failed to protect lives and properties of the people.
The groups noted the activities of the kidnappers had overwhelmed the security operatives in the state, making the state unsafe for residents and travellers who travel on the roads on daily basis.
The SLF in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Mr. Akinyele Akinwale, alleged the commissioner of police in the state of collaborating with the kidnappers, saying the rate of kidnapping in the state has been alarming since the Commissioner of Police came on board.
The statement read in part, “the cumulative occurrences and investigations from individuals who have fallen victims of these kidnapping cases in the state, suggest that there is a ‘ring of collaboration’ and connivance between these kidnappers and the top echelon of security agencies in the state.
“This is why we, Sunshine Liberation Front, are calling for the immediate redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Mr. Olugbenga Adeyanju, whose clandestine activities and hobnobbing with the men of the underworld have remained questionable”.
“Adeyanju has allegedly been aiding and abetting criminals and their like minds including hoodlums, a good example is that of NURTW thugs, who recently staged an attack on some of the lawmakers of Ondo House of Assembly and journalists who were only carrying out their duties as permitted by the Nigerian constitution.”
Also, the Ondo Youths for Good Governance (OYGG) alleged the state governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and security agencies in the state of being insensitive to the plight of the people of the state over the issue of kidnapping.
In a statement issued by its chairman, Mr. Abel Farinde, who said, “we have in our record that for the past few months, kidnapping has been taking place in Ondo State on weekly basis without any check and we know the governor will be having all these information but he fails to act on them
“This shows that the governor is being insensitive to the security of lives and properties of the people of the state in spite of the security votes he collects monthly .”
Farinde called the government and the security agencies in the state to be proactive to the security of the state, saying “Ondo State is known for peace and we don’t want this ugly development to move the state to the point of anarchy. So the government should do the needful.”
Reacting, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph denied the allegation against the Commissioner, saying the CP had been working tirelessly to ensure criminals were flushed out of the state.
Joseph said “we want to appeal to our people to take things easy with us, the CP cannot collaborate with criminals, he is a professional to the core and would never do that.
“What is happening in the state currently is a temporary set back and we will put more efforts to our operations, we will continue to do our best to send these hoodlums our of our state”, the PPRO opined.
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