Owo massacre: ‘We are still devastated’
The National Coordinator of Owo is One Association, Mr Akinboro Aruwajoye has said that the ancient town has been in shock, devastated and paralysed since the tragic massacre of worshipers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo on 5th June 2022.
About 40 persons, including children, were killed while over 60 were injured in the attack.
Addressing the newsmen in Lagos, Aruwajoye described the attack unleashed on the ancient town as barbaric, insisting that people are still living in fear.
Everybody is afraid, wondering what is next. At no time in its history has there been so much uncertainty and insecurity and dismay in the land as there is now,” Aruwajoye said.
The national coordinator added that the mayhem has unravelled the many loopholes as he harped on the dire need to provide critical tools for police and other emergency services.
He said, “despite the near-war situation in most parts of the country, it does not seem any part of the agencies picked up any information about this attack. Total lack of intelligence support to guide our security response activities need to be rejigged.”
The Ogbeni Oja of Owo, described the emergency response in Owo town as very poor while reminding the government of its primary purpose – to see to the security and welfare of the people.
He said: “Let it be clear, the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government. No government can lay claim to legitimacy if it cannot protect its citizens from internal turmoil or external aggression or cannot provide the minimum conditions for peaceful and healthy living.”
A Trustee of Owo is One Association, Jumoke Anifowose, called for urgent sensitisation of inhabitants on handling emergencies while urging the citizens to be vigilant and suspicious of all strange people and movements in the community. “Personal security requires the citizens to be vigilant. Therefore, they should report their findings to the authorities,” she said.
On his part, Honourable Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi pleaded with the federal government to recognize the internally displaced persons through the activities of herdsmen in the community and to capture them within its IDP programme.
“The herdsmen constantly torment, kill, rape, burning down houses and overrun the farms in Okeluse, Arimogiga and Molege in Ose LGA. Schools are closed in these communities, life is brutish. The Government does not even recognize them as internally displaced- No government assistance, no protection, no future. We plead with the Federal Government to capture these people within its IDP programme,” he appealed.
The Owo is One Association, the apex body of all societies and associations in the Owo kingdom, also called for massive recruitment of able-bodied youths into the military and police forces in a transparent exercise that gives fair representation to all parts of the country in recognition of our ethnic diversity.
They further requested the immediate decentralisation of the command structure of the military and the police forces. “This has to do with a strategic management of Human Resources which does not need to wait for Constitutional reforms.”
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