Herdsmen: Dare Asks Makinde to Tackle Oyo Security Crisis

Herdsmen: Dare Asks Makinde to Tackle Oyo Security Crisis

Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has advised the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to be more proactive in handling the security situation in the state.

The minister, who is an indigene of the state, in a statement issued yesterday accused Makinde of being scared to take a decision that would protect indigenes of his state from attacks.

He said the worsening situation was due to the inactions of a “hesitating fiddling leader.”

The minister opined that Makinde’s policy has not been proactive enough to resolve the issues, saying the governor seems to be paralysed by fear regarding the security situation in the state.

According to Dare, ‘’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. Like all the people of Oyo State, I expect the governor to act prudently but with reasonable dispatch to quell the security situation before it got out of hands.

‘’We all waited for proactive steps and responses from the state authority but the waiting has been certainly been in vain. Yet, Oyo State, with its population and strategic location in the South-west political and economic equation, should not be allowed to fall into a deadly security malaise for trouble that will not be limited to the state alone, because this can spread to other states given our strategic importance and position.

‘’Governor Makinde seems to be paralysed by fear regarding this important security situation. This is the first serious test of his leadership of the state. Instead of tackling it, he has retreated. His policy has not been proactive enough to resolve the issues so that security of lives will be guaranteed and spared our people 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 temporising fiddling leader.”

He added that 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.

Dare added that “this is a complex issue that requires political courage and vision to resolve.’’

The minister further stated that states and non-state actors could have been brought into the arena to design a way out as the governor is flailing about and reacting out of fear that his political status is being damaged instead of crafting a solution that gives justice, peace and meaningful livelihood to all affected.

He also called on the Governor to do better as the price of continued failure is that of loss of additional lives and property as well as increasing tensions between people who once treated each other as neighbours and brothers.

“He (the governor) should tap into the knowledge and experience of the pool of many outstanding citizens,” the minister advised.

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