The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has expressed his readiness and that of Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, to collaborate with governors and other stakeholders in South West to tackle insecurity in the region.
Speaking at the second edition of the OPC Dependable Security Team meeting, Adams urged leaders and stakeholders across the Southwest to be vigilant in forestalling terrorists incursion.
While addressing members of the group at the event which held at ONTEC Event Centre, Abeokuta in Ogun State, he said the meeting was strategic to combat terrorism in the southwest.
He added that the meeting was first initiated in Lagos, to beef up the security and also strengthen the grassroots security network across the south west.
The Yoruba generalissimo said: “People often asked: What is Aare doing to address the various security challenges bedevilling the region? This is the reason for this intervention move by our group to address the security deficit across the region.
“We are here to raise our voices against terrorism in the South West. Today’s gathering is based on the need to beef up security across the region.
“The security architecture has failed and we can no longer live as if everything is normal. Nothing has changed. The North East, North West, North Central and even the South East are not spared in the security conundrum.
“It is the traditional role of the Aare Ona Kakanfo to secure Yoruba land. It is our duty, also as a group, to complement the efforts of the southwest governments in curbing the challenges.
“So, I am ready to set the ball rolling whenever I am called upon by the southwest governors as well as the traditional rulers in Yoruba land.
“OPC is always ready and these gatherings are a testimony of our structure, strength and resolve to solve the security challenges across the region.
“As far as the OPC is concerned, it is a call to duty, it is our strategic approach to defend ourselves and our region since it is obvious that the security architecture has failed to protect us.
“We cannot leave our fate in the hands of security operatives and agencies that seemed to have been overwhelmed by the raging spate of insecurity in the country.”