GOV AKEREDOLU: WE HAVE ALWAYS COME TO NIGERIA IN PEACE
•Warns Against Visiting Southwest With War
•As Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, AbdulRahman Donates N75m to Victims Of Owo Attack
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has warned that the people of the Southwest will not tolerate another unprovoked attack on the region under any guise.
Governor Akeredolu said the people of Ondo State and Southwest region at large have always come to the country in peace and unity.
He spoke on Tuesday at the government House, Alagbaka, Akure while receiving his brother Governors from Ogun, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Lagos, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Kwara, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The Governors were in the state to pay condolence visit to Governor Akeredolu over the June 5th, 2022 terror attack in Owo.
The Immediate past Governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, also joined the entourage.
Members of the State Executive Council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu joined the Governor to receive the visitors.
Governor Akeredolu, who described the Owo attack as one too many, noted that the people of the Southwest region have always maintained peace and unity of the country.
He thanked the Governors for their solidarity while describing their visit as not just symbolic but important.
“We are part of this country and we have always come to this country in peace and we have maintained peace. We have been trying everytime to maintain Nigeria because we believe in Nigeria. Let someone point to an incident in which we left our enclave or we left this peaceful environment and went to cause problems in other places. Let them tell us. We have come to this country in peace, and now people want to visit us with war. You want to maim and kill us; it is not easy.
“It is a dreadful assault. I said to people that if we were at war and we were armed and faced ourselves, in one day 40 poeple would not die from our side. But this is not war, we were not at war.
“This is an assault on us, on our psyche. We cannot continue this way. We believe in this place, we believe in South-Western region, we believe in Yoruba. Is Yoruba part of the Nigeria we believe in? Yes.
“But I thank you for your solidarity. You have come all the time and we have always worked together, all of us.
“If you get to the scene, I’m sure it will bring tears out of your eyes. These criminals, these animals in human skin, what they did was horrendous. They did not come to kidnap, they did not come to steal, they took no dime. They went into the church and shot at everything within their sight”‘, the Governor lamented.
Earlier, Ogun state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who spoke on behalf of the Lagos and Kwara States Governors, said the attack was nit just on the good people of Owo and Ondo State but the entire poeple of the South-West region.
The Governors announced the donation N25m each, totaling N75m for the victims of the attack.
The Governors disclosed that the region would soon meet to take a position to further consolidate and improve security architecture in the zone.
“We have come this morning to commiserate with His Excellency and the good people of Owo and of course, Ondo State by extension. On behalf of our families and poeple and governments of Ogun, Kwara and the Lagos States on the very dastardly event that happened on the 5th of June, 2022, at the Catholic church in Owo.
“The news filtered in on the evening of the 5th and it came as a shock to all your brother Governors across the length and breadth of this country, but in particular those of us that come from the South-West zone. We find this attack not just an attack on the good people of Owo, or the good people of Ondo State but the entire poeple of the South-West zone.
“Of course we have met and we have condemned this act which we find as most unfortunate. Your Excellency, this is an attack too many. We know that you have been at the vanguard of ensuring peace and security for your poeple. In fact, you are the champion of the Amotekun in the South-West.
“We your brothers wonder if this is more personal because of the role you have played in ensuring that our zone is secured. One wonders if there is a particular reason this attack was launched in your hometown of Owo. We are deeply pained, we deeply saddened and we commiserate with you. We pray for the lives of the departed, we pray that the almighty God forgives their sins and accept their souls. We commiserate with their families, we sympathize with those that are still in the hospitals”, Governor Abiodun said.
APC NWC CONDEMNS OWO TERROR ATTACK, WANTS PERPETRATORS TO BE BROGHT TO JUSTICE
•Your Coming Is A Balm On Our Wound
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, on Tuesday received a high-powered delegation of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The delegation, which included the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and the National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Muhammed Argungu, were received at the government house, Alagbaka, Akure.
Governor Akeredolu was joined by his deputy, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa and members of the state executive council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu to receive the visitors.
The APC National Chairman commiserated with Governor Akeredolu and the people of the state, while describing the June 5th attack in Owo as a heavy loss.
He said:”We are here essentially to condole with you personally and condole with the good people of Ondo state on the heavy loss that occurred on the 5th of June in Owo where worshipers died in the hands of ungodly people.
“We would have been here early but for the pressure of the National Convention. As believers, our faith teaches us that nothing happens without God’s knowledge. God knows why it happened. He giveth and taketh. We have no words to soothe the heart of those mourning. All we have to say is that we join you in this moment of mourning.”
Governor Akeredolu thanked the APC delegation for the condolence visit. He described their coming as a balm on the state’s wound.
The Governor, who said he believes in One Nigeria, stressed that the Southwest has been sustaining the peace and unity of the country.
“Sir, what we witnessed here on the 5th of June is indescribable. Like the chairman has rightly observed, it has never happened before in the Southwest. They principally came to kill and maim. Today, 40 have died and we have over 60 in the hospital to take care of. It is so painful.
“We believe in one Nigeria and we are the ones sustaining the unity. This trilogy, we are facing a lot of terror from Fulani herdsmen who are destroying our farms, Boko haram has followed with terrorism. And now you came up with ISWAP , it is trilogy. This country needs to do something about it. We need peace.
“Your coming is a balm on our wound. We lost so many children. Let us find peace in our country. There is palpable fear everywhere.” Governor Akeredolu said.
OWO TERROR ATTACK: A SIGNAL OF DANGER AHEAD -SENATOR BORROFICE
•No Going Back On State Police -Gov Akeredolu
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, on Sunday received the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial district at the Senate, Senator Ajayi Borrofice at the government house, Alagbaka, Akure.
Senator Borrofice, who was on a condolence visit over the terror attack in Owo, described the incident as a serious problem for the country.
He commended the Governor for always standing on the side of truth, adding that the security situation in the state would have been worsened but for the creation of the Amotekun corps.
“I am here to commiserate with you, to commiserate with owo people and Ondo North that I represent in the Senate.
“What has happened is a serious problem to this country. It is a signal of dangers ahead which we must all rise up and tackle.
“Let me congratulate you that you are able to established Amotekun corps. One will begin to wonder what would have happened if you have not created Amotekun. May God be with you to strengthen Amotekun.
“State police is part of the solutions to this problem. It will continue to confront us until we take a very bold step to solve this problem.
“We have to talk to our security agencies. The incident happened in the heart of the town. I was at the church yesterday, it is unfortunate the way they callously destroyed the place and Massacre the people.
“The boldness and bravery that you always display in speaking your mind , people may criticize you but I admire you. We are always with you.” Senator Borrofice said.
Governor Akeredolu appreciated the lawmaker for the condolence visit, adding that what happened in Owo was indescribable.
He called for the need for Amotekun corps to carry arms like other security agencies, so as to enable them confront criminal elements effectively.
“What we witnessed on the 5th of June in Owo is indescribable. What they did, this mindless people , I call them animals in human skins, they came to maim and kill. They didn’t kidnap anybody. They didn’t take a dime. I was shocked.
“There is nobody that will get to the hospital that will not shed tears . If it is because of how we speak, we will not stop. If it is because of Amotekun, we will give them more footings in terms of equipments.
“Part of where we need you is we want Amotekun to carry arms. You spoke about state police, there is no going back. It is important for us to say it, it is part of restructuring. This is beyond community policing. We need state based policing.” The Governor said.
Richard Olatunde
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
June 13, 2022.
