Afenifere: Kidnap of Lagos monarch, a sacrilege to Yoruba tradition

Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a socio-political organisation in the south-west, has condemned the abduction of the Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni, and two other residents of Iba.

Suspected Niger Delta militants had on Saturday, invaded the palace of the monarch in Iba local council development area of Lagos state and kidnapped him after shooting one of his wives and killing a guard.

Olawale Oshun, chairman of the group , in a statement released Monday evening, said, “ARG view the monarch’s kidnap as a sacrilege and violation of Yoruba mores and values.”

“We note that kidnapping and violent crime have for a while become the scourge of residents close to shoreline of Southwest states.

“ARG submit that security is at best a proactive concern and at its worst a reactive one. Consequently, the existing security framework in Nigeria, being largely reactive and unduly centralised, has never been efficient and reliable to support the policing of large parts of Nigeria in general or Southwest region in particular.”

The ARG also used the opportunity to advocate for state and community policing while calling on the six south-west governors to formulate an “acceptable security policy” for the region.

“One of the reasons the ARG has consistently been advocating the institution of state policing in conformity with federalism principles is the escalating crime rate despite the sacrificial funding of the centralised police force by respective state governments.

“We believe that security will be more efficient if state governments dedicate their resources to funding state and community policing in their respective jurisdictions.

“How worse should things get for Yoruba people and states before our governors realize the imperative need to work around the constitutional impediment on state policing and also, in spite of partisan bends, collaborate with one another to ensure that the security and wellbeing of their people are paid paramount attention.

“Is there any reason today why the six Southwest governors, and that of any other contiguous state willing to work with them, cannot come together urgently to evolve an acceptable security policy for their people?

“Yoruba people are waiting, and we hope that the complete desecration of our values and mores will not precede the precept of collaboration.”