Despite moves and assurances given by the Oyo state governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde to curb the increased insecurity in Ibarapa, Oke -Ogun zones, and the state generally, an indigene of the zone, Bola Olalere last Monday disclosed that they are living under an oppressive fear.
Olalere, a farmer and journalist, also disclosed that tension almost at its highest, while some places are relatively peaceful. He stressed that the indigenes are not secured each time they go to their farms.
According to him, the insecurity could not have been degenerated to this extent if the government has been proactive. He alleged that the government has refused to do the needful, due to the tribal loyalty of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is a Fulani man.
“As we speak, we can’t say Oke-ogun or Igboho is very peaceful, we have always been living in fear of these herdsmen and the body language from the authority, not only from the Oyo state government but the federal government as well has not been helping us. For example now, I’m leading a group of youths who are investing in cassava , we have gotten several acres of land here, we have planted but majority of our members are afraid of coming down home to do their normal farming business.
“So currently, the tension is high, some places are relatively peaceful, but within ourselves we know that we are not happy and we are not feeling secured each time we go to the farm and that is the current situation here now”, he said.
The convener of Oke-Ogun Youth Association, while featuring on TV360 news, monitored by Mega Icon Magazine, noted that the acclaimed Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as ‘Sunday Igboho’ is not just a political thug, but rather a liberator who has the courage to do what the government failed to do.
Olalere continued, “We don’t see him (Sunday Igboho) as a political thug right now, we see him as a liberator of Yoruba race ; we see him as somebody who has courage to do what the government failed to do.
“We are very happy that we have someone that can come up, face and lead this struggle. We have been living with these herders for a very long time in this part of the country. We have not been having it this bad and since the government decided not to do anything or say anything, we have somebody , a son of the soil who is courageous enough to face or volunteer to lead this battle against these killer herdsmen, we don’t see him as a thug, but we see him rather as a liberator of the people”, he concluded.
