Ekiti: Security Council Reads Out Riot Act To Kidnappers, Accomplices

By Lere Olayinka

An emergency meeting of the Ekiti State Security Council took place on

Monday with a view to arresting the spate of kidnapping and other

criminal activities in the state following the killing of two and

abduction of five people in the last one week.
Briefing the press of the council's resolution after the meeting, the

State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Owoseni

Ajayi, stated that the council frowned at the high incidence of

kidnapping in the state in the last one week, vowing not only to

rescue the victims in the custody of the kidnappers alive, but to

stamp out kidnapping activities in the state.
According to the press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary

to the Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, and made available to the press on

Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, the council said that security measures would be

taken to protect life and property and also called on the people

particularly landlords, hoteliers to know the kind of people they

offer accommodation as laws would be enacted soon that would deal both

with the criminals and their accomplices.
It appealed to the people of the state to cooperate with the

government and the security agencies, saying there would be strict

security measures and check points in strategic places across the

state.
The Council resolved that usage of tinted classes would be prohibited,

while there would be frequent hotel checks, with a call to hoteliers

to monitor their customers and offer information to security agents on

any suspected person, saying any hotel linked to criminals would be

sealed up.
Plantations of indian hemps and cannabis would also be impounded

henceforth, while culprits would be prosecuted as efforts would be

made for the enactment of relevant laws to decisively deal with the

criminals and their accomplices.
The council said it required the cooperation of everybody in the state

to join hands with the government to join hands to fight criminals to

a standstill.
The Council also resolved that the state would not condone any

invasion of foreign bodies or security threat before and after the May

29 handing over date, advising those muting the idea to drop it in

their own interest.
The council praised security agencies in the state over their efforts

to ensure there is peace in the state, appealing to religious leaders,

traditional rulers, labour leaders and other stakeholders to continue

to cooperate with the government and security personnel to provide

adequate security in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ojune Ibine, who was at the

meeting and in a separate press interview, assured people of the state

of improved security measure, warning criminals to have a rethink as

the police was ready to go all out against them.
He assured that the release of kidnapped persons would soon be effected.