Following the various alleged attacks in various parts of the states in Nigeria wherein Oyo state is experiencing the same heat, Mr  Sunday Dare,  Minister of Youth and Sports Development, has advised Seyi Makinde the Governor of Oyo State, to be more proactive and decisive in tackling the security situation in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Dare implied that the governor is too scared to take a decision that would protect the indigenes of his state from attacks.

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There had been reports of alleged attacks, that some Fulani were kidnapping, killing, and raping residents in Ibarapa area of the state

Sunday Dare urged the governor to seek assistance from states and non-state actors and stop “responding out of fear that his political status is being damaged”.

Part of the statement termed, ‘Minister wants Makinde to be more decisive on security’, read, “For several months, citizens of Oyo state have watched with increasing concern as the security situation in our beloved state degenerated. Troubling accounts about killings, kidnappings, and herdsmen versus farmers conflicts abound.

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Like all the people of Oyo State, I expected the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde to act fast and prudently but with reasonable dispatch to quell the security situation before it got out of hand.

We all waited for proactive steps and responses from the state authority, but certainly in vain.

“Governor Makinde seems to be paralysed by fear regarding this important security situation. This is the first serious test of his leadership in the state.

“Instead of tackling it, he has retreated. His policy has not been proactive enough to resolve the issues so that the protection of lives will be guaranteed and our people spared the mourning over dead ones.

Instead, his policy has been to act as if nothing was happening in forlorn hope that all would simply go away as if it were a bad dream.”

“The worsening developments in the state in the area of security are a direct result of a temporizing fiddling leader.

The Governor has paid more lip service to the issue of security instead of offering solutions or taking proactive steps to stem the attacks and chart the path of resolution.

For this is a complex issue that requires political courage and vision to resolve.”

On  the early hours of Sunday morning, Armed bandits said to be numbering over 200 invaded some communities in Munya and Paikoro Local Government Areas of Niger State, killing two security operatives, a middle-aged man and injuring about 15 others in an operation which the villagers said was targeted only at foodstuff.

Over 15 women were abducted and forced to help the bandits carry the looted foodstuff, packed in bags from the communities.

The bandits, however, promised to release the women after helping them to evacuate the foodstuff to a particular location.

The communities invaded by the bandits include Beni, old and new Dalolo, Aboloso, Ishau and Amale, all in Paikoro Local Government, while Gwari Nyayi, Kabiri and Biri in Munya Local Government were also raided by the bandits.

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Beni, Alhaji Jafaru Umar Sarki, the District Head, confirmed that the invasion started on Saturday evening when the armed men numbering about 200 and in over 50 motorcycles stormed the communities in three different groups.

The Saturday operation only lasted for one hour and the bandits went away with sacks loaded with foodstuff and other items looted from shops in the town.

He said on Sunday morning, the bandits returned and shared themselves into three groups, moving from one community to another targeting only foodstuff and provisions from various outlets , from 9’o clock in the morning and lasted for over three hours.

According to him, a helicopter owned by one of the security agencies was sighted hovering over their heads within and around the communities while the bandits were operating on the ground.

“We saw a helicopter moving around the communities for about six times when the bandits were operating but the helicopter did not attack the bandits.

“We did not know what the helicopter was doing in the air because bandits were operating freely on the ground

He pointed out that “Immediately the bandits finished the operation and left, we did not see the helicopter again, so we don’t know whether it was providing cover for the bandit or to attack the bandits”.

He disclosed that the communities became helpless when all calls made to relevant security agencies to come to their rescue failed, adding that “in fact, the Divisional Police Officer attached to the area said, that they had no fuel in the car”.

The District Head, a retired police officer, disclosed that only the local vigilantes were on ground to provide some help but their ammunitions got exhausted after over 30 minutes of gun exchange with the bandits.

They, however, lost two of their men, leaving the bandits with only gunshot injuries.

Francis Daniel, a middle-aged man, who operates a computer centre at Kafin Koro, was shot and killed from a far distance of hundred metres, when he attempted to escape into the bush on sighting the bandits.

This incident is happening again, barely one year and two weeks after the last attack where the bandits on 9th January 2020, invaded Beni and other communities, kidnaping over 32 villagers, including the son of the District Head of Beni.

The bandits also asked for a ransom of N49million for the release of the abducted, asking the District Head to pay N17million out of the amount before they would release his son.

The leadership of orluzurumee youth assembly,  paid an unscheduled visit to Profesor Francis Chukwuemeka Eze, JP, KSJI, ( Awelle 1 Of Amanato) and the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Owerri(FUTO)  and honor him with an award of outstanding performance(Hope of the youths).

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The National President of Orluzurumee youth assembly Comr. Engr. Sylvester Anyikwa  in his remarks, thanked the Vice-chancellor for the warm reception , he went further encourage the academic guru to keep up the good works that he is known for, especially in the area of youth development and empowerment and that as a molders of the youth, that through the university system that the VC has been instrumental in producing responsible youths and have through the institution provided number of jobs to the unemployed youths.

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The elated Professor Eze in a vote of thanks, thanked orluzurumee youth assembly for finding  him worthy to be honored, that the award is going to encourage  him to work header, he also added ‘that the reward for good work is more work’ he however enjoined the association to keep up with the good works especially on youth advocacy in the zone and beyond.