Residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and other heads of security agencies to avert further killings and other threats to security of life and property in the town.
They noted that there had been a rise in the activities of hoodlums in the community in the past few weeks.
There were reports that suspected members of cult groups had been on killing spree in Akure in the past few weeks, making life unsafe for the residents, visitors and businessmen.
Rival cult groups had reportedly been fighting each other.
Addressing reporters yesterday, the Asiwaju of Akure, Prof Olu Agbi, said over 10 persons had been reportedly killed in various parts of the town in the last few days.
Agbi said: “Apart from the killings by secret cult members, there were reports of kidnapping, attacks and killing of farmers by herdsmen, among other heinous crimes. Some crimes, including armed robbery and ritual killings, have not gone unnoticed by the community.
“Some national dailies have even written editorials on the incidents and gave the developments in the town a national outlook.
“We are disturbed by these reports; more so that our community, before the recent events, has been peaceful. We accommodate people, irrespective of their tribes, cultures, social status or creeds. Non-Yoruba speaking people and other ethnic groups living among us will attest to the fact that Akure indigenes are loving and very accommodating.
“On our farmlands, we welcome non-indigenes to reside without being discriminated against. This made it possible for non-indigenes to get chieftaincy titles in our communities.”
Agbi regretted that the accommodating posture of the residents had been taken for granted by members of secret cults, most of who he said were non-indigenes.
The community leader accused them of unleashing terror on the residents.
He noted that apart from the killing of hapless people, secret cult members also put the residents in fear of attacks or in ensuing melee.
The academic urged security agencies to avert further killings and other evil actions of suspected cult groups in the town.
According to him, the community is disturbed that despite the attacks and killings, law enforcement agents appeared helpless.
Agbi regretted that no one was sure of who the hoodlums would attack next as they had been moving from one part to another, attacking the residents.
The community leader urged the IGP, the Director General of Department State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to step up their patrols of Akure streets to prevent further killing of innocent residents and the breakdown of law and order.
He said: “Reports reaching us indicate that some law enforcement agents are members of these secret cults which have made the fight against cultism difficult for the top hierarchy of the security agencies.
“Security sources told us that Eiye members in the force would release their members, if brought to the police station while Aiye members among law enforcement agents would do the same for their members.
“We ask the IGP to purge the police of secret cult members so that the war against cultism and other crimes could be meaningful. We also call on the Ondo State Police Command to monitor its men in Anti-Cultism Squad so that we will not have cultists masquerading as police officers.”
