From Adedeji Joseph, Ilorin.
President Mohammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris have been asked to pursue the case of the arrested cultists in Kwara State and their alleged confessions to a logical conclusion.
Elders in the State in the name of Kwara Liberation Group (KIG), who made the call at a press conference in Ilorin, asked the President and the IGP to discountenance calls from the state demanding that the suspected cultists transferred to Abuja be returned to Kwara.
Specifically, the elders under the chairmanship of Dr. Amuda Aluko, the Tafidan Ilorin (Ilorin High Chief) said both the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who were making the calls should be ignored.
At the briefing, Dr. Aluko said killings had been taking place in Kwara State since 2003 and the citizens were made to believe that the perpetrators of the criminality were from outside the state.
He said much as such criminal cases were reported through petitions, letters, placing newspaper advertisements and several other efforts since it started in 2003, security agencies had always swept the matters under the carpet.
His words; “It is important to stress the fact that what we are witnessing today is a build-up of several life consuming and property destruction activities in Kwara State since the year 2003
“However, without prejudice to the activities of security personnel in the state and Nigeria at large, several open letters, newspaper advertisements and books have been written by the progressives to sensitize the governments at all levels and the probable solutions”.
Aluko lamented that all along however, “godfathers to these criminals have always subverted the efforts to rid Kwara State of criminals. As a proof to our claims, several cases were reported, some followed up to the law courts but the end result had always been disappointing”.
The KLG declared that the police in the case of the arrested cultists and their transfer to the Force Headquarters, Abuja had “not transgressed their limits” pointing out that similar transfers in the past had been done at the instance of both Saraki and Governor Ahmed.
They said the cases in reference the Oro Ago Fulani/Farmers clash, Share/Tsaragi crises, Alapa crises and the recent robbery attack on Offa to mention but a few.
“On our part, the KLG fervently advise the distinguished President of the Senate to stop running helter-skelter and allow the IGP ad the police authority to perform their constitutional duty. Surely with the cooperation of all Nigerians, the truth will triumph”
Among those who attended the press briefing were the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state led by its chairman, Comrade Abdulmmuni Onagun, chairman of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Iyiola Oyedepo.
Others were Alhaji Isa Malate, a one-time Commissioner in the State, youth organizations and those who claimed they were victims arrested, transferred to Abuja and detained for months while between 2003 and 2011.