…Flush Out Ondo Forests of Criminals, Regulate Scavengers, Okada Riders now
Members and Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ondo State Council have expressed sadness and deep sorrow over horrific level of killings at Owo Catholic Church on Sunday 5th June, 2022, describing the massacre as a wake up call for the people of the Southwest to rally round security agencies especially Amotekun Corps to track down culprits.
This is contained in a Condolence message signed by the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Leke Adegbite and the Acting Secretary, Mrs Ngozi Aduloju.
The Union also demands that the Ondo State government and security agencies should regulate activities of Scavengers and some ‘foreign’ Okada Riders who flood neighbourhood in the state on daily basis.
It would be recalled that Ondo NUJ had during its monthly Meeting in April, raised the alarm on some suspected criminals disguise as Scavengers and Okada riders to survey locations before they carry out their heinous acts.
The Union cautions members of the public against spreading of fake news that can cause more panic or jeopardize investigations by security agencies.
Ondo NUJ encourages Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu not to be deterred with the Owo massacre by continuing with his courageous leadership in empowering Amotekun Corps particularly recruitment of more personnel, while other state Governors in the Southwest region should up their security games to make the zone more safe.
“We also call on communities and traditional rulers to come up with neighbourhood security network “Vigilante/Hunters groups” to complement efforts Amotekun Corps at this critical time.”
“The Federal Government should increase funding of its security agencies particularly the Nigeria Police. It is obvious that policemen are lacking logistics to confront criminals bearing sophisticated weapons. Other federal security agencies must also be funded to to be on top of their Intelligence gathering.”
While expressing our heartfelt condolences to the families of victims, Owo Community, Catholic church, Government and People of Ondo State over the traumatizing attack, Ondo NUJ appeals to youths and indeed entire residents of the state not to take law into their own hands but to provide information that would help security agencies to hunt down criminals in their neighbourhood.
Signed:
Comrade Leke Adegbite
Chairman
&
Mrs Ngozi Aduloju
Acting Secretary
OWO ATTACK: ONE INCIDENT TOO MANY
Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Ondo State Chapter condemn the bloody attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa Owo on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
Across the globe, places of worship are not only regarded as sacred but they are equally seen as one of the most secured spots even during civil disturbances hence defenceless people would trooped there for refuge.
MMPN was highly disturbed by the killing of scores of innocent souls in a holy place in a dastardly manner.
We therefore call on concerned authorities to as a matter of urgency identify, apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of the unwarranted bloodletting so as to serve as deterrence to all individuals who might want to take up violence for whatever reasons.
However, MMPN wishes to remind the Nigeria nation that rising cases of heinous crimes could be traced to the failure of the state to approve death sentence for perpetrators of evil such as kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers, assassins and terrorists.
We must note that perpetrators of heinous crimes deserve no mercy, amnesty or state pardon, instead anyone found guilty by competent courts of law should be sent to the great beyond without delay to send a strong message to whoever cares to listen and as a practical step to decongesting overcrowded correctional facilities.
It is the belief of MMPN that capital crimes deserve capital punishment and must be adhered to and implemented.
E – Signed
Issa Olatunji
Chairman
Fatima Muraina
Secretary
Owo Massacre: Barbaric and Unacceptable – Diamond Group Nigeria.
Diamond Group Nigeria (DGN) condemns in strong terms the gruesome killing of congregants by gunmen yet to be identified at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owaluwa, Owo on Pentecost Sunday, 5th June, 2022
The callous attack had claimed the lives of more than 100 people majority of whom were women and children according to local sources.
Diamond Group Nigeria finds it unacceptable that in Nigeria life has indeed become cheap and worthless as people are being killed all over the country like fowls.
The Group also considers the fact that the two Police Divisions and Area Command in Owo lack functional operational vehicles with which to mount patrol and respond to distress calls.
We are of the considered opinion that the deluge of condolences from government officials at all levels when calamities as this occur will never substitute for hardnosed planning, effective policies and actions that will tame the monster of insecurity in Nigeria.
In view of the unverified reports of significant presence of sleeper cells of Boko Haram and ISWAP( Islamic State of West Africa Province) in Central Nigeria, part of which borders the Southwest, all hands must be on deck to ensure that the atrocities of the terrorists in the North do not seep into the southern part of the country.
The Group, in specific terms, recommends:
• The deployment of drone and other surveillance technologies in Ondo State for uninterrupted reconnaissance of our forests
• Proscribing the use of Okada as a means of transportation in the state
• And clearing the forests in the states of all undocumented herders and occupants.
Diamond Group Nigeria commiserates with the victims of the attack, the Christian community, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadgesin Ogunoye III, the people of Owo, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN and the good people of Ondo State, and prays God to bring succour and healing to our country.
Signed:
Toyyib Musa-Omoloja
Archdiamond,
Diamond Group Nigeria.
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