Residents of Otun-Ekiti, in Moba Local Government Area (LGA), on Friday appealed to the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, to put an end to kidnapping in the town and its neighboring communities.
A cross-section of the residents of the community, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Otun-Ekiti, said that many of them lost valuable things and persons in 2022 as a result of insecurity.
They lamented that in spite of the efforts of the Nigerian police to arrest the perpetrators, many of them were unable to visit their farms alone or travel in the evening as they normally do.
One of the residents, Mr. Bode Omole, a farmer, appealed to the state Gov. Oyebanji, to find a lasting solution to the insecurity such as kidnapping, and ritual killing among other crimes in the area.
Omole explained that some of his colleagues have abandoned their farms because of the fear of being kidnapped.
“I want to appeal to Oyebanji to end insecurity such as kidnappings, stealing, and killing in our community in the new year.
“2022 was a very challenging year for us in Otun-Ekiti, I and my friends can no longer visit our farms or travel in the evening or early in the morning.
“It is until all the perpetrators of this crime are arrested that peace can be restored and the farmers will be able to return to their farms with peace of mind,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs. Bidemi Owolabi, a tailor, said that many of the indigenes of the town are no longer afraid of any kidnappers because they are beginning to fortify themselves spiritually.
Owolabi explained that non-indigenes who are only residents are afraid of traveling or visiting their farms at odd hours.
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“Insecurity in our community needs urgent government intervention to arrest all the perpetrators of kidnapping.
“Many of us, especially the farmers and non-indigenes, hardly visit the farms to avoid being kidnapped.
“I want to urge our governor to prioritize the security of lives of both indigenes and residents in communities under Moba local government in 2023.
She appealed to Oyebanji to also empower the security agencies with the needed logistics to be more efficient.
Mr. Omotayo Omoleye, an automobile engineer, said the insecurity condition of the community did not allow many private investors to establish companies, banks, and supermarkets in the area.
He noted that many residents of the community have relocated to other secured areas last year but the indigenes stayed back.
Omoleye urged the state government to improve the security network and curb the incessant kidnapping of innocent indigenes in Ekiti.
An indigene of the community, Mr. Bayode Ogunmoroti, a teacher, described the activities of kidnappers in the town in 2022 as dreadful, life-threatening, and sad events.
Ogunmoroti urged the state government to solicit more assistance from the federal government and recruit more security officers such as the Amotekun corps to be able to end the activities of kidnapping in the state.
He explained that many of the wealthy sons and daughters of the town, who intended to establish one or two modern supermarkets, hostels, and amusement parks have canceled the plans because of the insecurity of the community.
