Reps order investigations into murder of Ondo monarch
By Tony Akowe, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to carry out an aggressive investigation into this gruesome murder of the Olufon of Ifon in Ose local government of Ondo State, Oba Isreal Adegoke Adeusi by unknown gunmen.
The House also stressed the need to deploy more police personnel to the local government and other areas in the country that are not well covered by police men as a way of curbing the rising cases of killings in the country.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe asking the House to order an immediate investigation into the murder of the traditional ruler.
The House also directs its Committee on Works to investigate and see to the completion of the abandoned Okeluse/Edo Bridge; the road linking Aiyegunle and Imeri Road; and the rehabilitation of Ipele lfon Road all of this with a view to giving tangible translation to the yearly budgetary allocation being earmarked for the completion year in year out and also eliminate hideouts for criminals terrorizing the areas involved.
Hon. Adelegbe told the House that around 4:00 pm on the 26th of November, Oba Adeusi was murdered in broad daylight by unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers while returning to his palace in Ifon from Akure.
He said the traditional ruler was accosted at a bad portion of Elegbeka road where vehicles are compelled to slow down at the failed portion of the road between lpele and Ifon where kidnappers now hibernate to commit their heinous acts.
The lawmaker expressed concerns that the spate of kidnappings and kidnappings related killings have got to an intolerable level in the country to the extent that while one is struggling to brace up from the last incident, one is struck by yet another one.
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He said, ”The major outlet of these criminals is the road linking Edo and Ondo States through Okeluse Bridge, the contract for the construction of which was awarded in 2008 but abandoned by the Federal Ministry of Works and it remains one of the dangerous spots posing serious security threat to the inhabitants of the area. The road linking Imeri and AiyegunIe in Edo State has been abandoned for over ten years in spite of the yearly budgetary allocation of the sum N200 million years in year out without any sign of work: This is another outlet for criminals within the Local Government.’
”Deeply concerned that for as long as these identified areas of the Federal Road remain abandoned, they will continue to constitute hideouts for criminals who could pitch their tents in the adjoining bush around the spots, come out to attack unsuspecting motorists and other road users and run into the bush to take cover.”
Also, the House also expressed concern over the porous nature of the nation’s borders and urged the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service to liaise with relevant security agencies to expand their coverage of the country’s borders.
Adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Babatunde Humpe, the House also resolved to constitute an Ad–hoc Committee to organize a Security Summit that will involve all Military and Para-military Agencies as well as indigenes of border communities with a view to finding lasting solutions to the socio-economic and security challenges posed by the porosity of Nigeria’s borders.
Hon. Humpe acknowledge the nation’s large international boundaries which he said has not been well managed due to insufficient resources and manpower, adding that this has great implications on the economic, security and social development of the country.
He expressed concern about the porous nature of the borders which he said has precipitated several crimes which pose serious threats to national security, and are causing hardship because it leads to illegal roadblocks and check points being mounted in and around border communities.
He said the proliferation of arms, illegal immigration and smuggling of expired goods into the country are as a result of the porosity of Nigeria’s borders which also makes it easy for terrorists to carry out their activities, especially in border states like Lagos, Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa, among others.
He said the volatile situation at the country’s borders has greatly hampered the efforts of the government towards ending insurgency as terrorists have continued to carry out their attacks unabated.
