OLALEKAN ADETAYO writes that Oyo State is on the edge of a precipice with the spate of violence and the recent the killing of a chieftain of the National Union of Road Workers, Alhaji Lateef Salako (a.k.a Eleweomo)
The much-talked about 2011 elections are just a few months ahead. But as the elections draw nearer, fear keeps gripping stakeholders in Oyo State just like other states in the federation where violence is rearing its ugly head. In October, 2010, the major opposition party in the state, the Action Congress of Nigeria, raised the alarm over an alleged arms build-up by the state government. The plot, the party alleged, was carried out by the state Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, in his bid to achieve his ambition of ruling the state the second time.
Like any other public statements seen to be too critical of the governor and his government, Alao-Akala’s aides responded promptly without sparing the ACN leadership. The governors’ Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, described the allegation as silly, advising opposition to learn to be clever.
The ACN, through the then Director of Publicity and Strategy, Mr. Wasiu Olatubosun (now General Secretary), it had alleged that the governor had procured 10 new Armoured Personnel Carriers, sophisticated guns and other ammunition which had been kept at the Presidential Lodge of the Government House in Ibadan.
It further alleged that the government had concluded arrangements on sewing of police and army uniforms to be worn by members of a faction of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, who would unleash terror on innocent citizens and opposition party members in the state.
The statement read, “Most residents of the state capital were apprehensive few days ago when they noticed the movement of 10 brand new APC into the Agodi Government House. Investigations later revealed that the ammunition was ordered by the governor as part of a grand plan to foist another political violence on the people since the PDP was not sure of victory in a free and fair election.
“The public was surprised at the confirmation of the purchase of 1,000 campaign cars and buses by the governor’s spokesman recently, but the latest alarm carries more weight such that it must not be treated lightly by the security agencies and other well-meaning Nigerians. Oyo deserves peaceful elections in 2011 so that electorate could exercise their civil responsibilities in order to effect positive changes in the politics of the state.”
As expected, Oyelade in his reaction said, “The accusation of ACN that Akala is storing arms in anticipation of an election he is poised to win is so silly that it beggars belief scoffing that Akala is gathering Armoured Personnel Carriers to intimidate opponents, who already are intimidated by the weight of his achievements is trite just as the allegation of sewing security uniforms, haba! Opposition should be cleverer than all these even at the worst of times. In the case of APC, the police convened a meeting of bankers, police and government two years ago at the height of armed siege and asked for contribution. Those APCs are Oyo State’s contributions.”
What happened in the state capital a few days after had forced those who had initially been hoodwinked into believing that the ACN was just playing politics of bitterness to have a rethink.
The state PDP chieftains, who are of Ibadan origin, had organised a political rally tagged “Ibadan tile toko” (All indigenes of Ibadan) at the ancient Mapo Hall in the heart of the state capital to drum up support for Alao-Akala’s second-term bid. Attendance at the event was massive.
But colourful as the rally was, it was nearly marred by the arrest of a member of the state House Assembly, Mr. Jimoh Fadipe, and some others. They were allegedly caught with arms and ammunition by policemen on stop-and-search duty near Mapo Hall, venue of the rally.
The suspects, their vehicles and the weapons were taken to the state police command headquarters in Eleyele as efforts made by some top state government officials to resolve the matter at the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters failed.
Many saw that incident as a confirmation of the ACN’s claim and thought that the state government would use the matter to once and for all teach politicians a lesson that violence would not be tolerated in the build-up to the general election.
But that hope was dashed when, up until press time, the police command has refused to make its findings on the arrest and seizure public. Fadipe and other suspects have since been left off the hook. In fact, the lawmaker has since resumed his legislative duties.
Many were of the opinion that the command ought to have made the report of its investigation public, whether the suspects were found guilty or not, in order to serve as deterrent to others.
A couple of days later, specifically last week Thursday, the local government congress of the same ruling PDP turned bloody in Ibadan and Oyo town. By the time the ensuing confusion ended, a factional leader of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers, Oyo State Council, Alhaji Lateef Salako (also known as Eleweomo), had already paid the supreme price. He was killed at IDC Primary School, Olunloyo, Ibadan, where the PDP congress in Ona Ara Local Government Area was held. He died two days to his 58th birthday and house warming already slated for Saturday, January 1, 2010. Instead of the birthday and house warming, his remains were interred that day.
No fewer than 10 persons were also injured in Oyo West Local Government Area of the state during the PDP congress. The victims were reportedly received machete cuts at the Idi Ope Primary School, Oyo venue of the congress.
The trouble was allegedly caused by suspected political thugs loyal to a principal official of the state House of Assembly and a top local government official.
While the police command is currently making frantic efforts aimed at unravelling the circumstances surrounding Salako’s killers, no word has been heard about investigation into the Oyo violence.
A chieftain of the PDP in the state, Senator Lekan Balogun, has severally called for the redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baba Bolanta, for his alleged partisanship in the state.
Speaking on Salako’s death, Balogun said the incident could have been prevented if the police boss had not allowed his personal interest and pecuniary consideration to override his professional calling. Balogun, who is also the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, said that if Bolanta had ensured in the past that nobody committed crimes and went scot-free, activities of the NURTW of which the late Salako was the arrowhead, could have been curtailed.
He said, “The Oyo State Police Commissioner should be held responsible for emboldening Eleweomo and his gang all along despite the repeated warnings of some of us. We have been insisting that violence never pay, but instead of our police boss to listen to the voice of reason, he kept on in his partisanship approach to the issue of security in the state. The result is that some members of the NURTW commit crime with impunity.”
He recalled that he had in the past made reports of the late Salako’s activities to the police without any concrete action on their part. He noted that those perpetrating crimes in the state would have checked themselves if the police had at least for once acted as expected of professionals.
“The death of Eleweomo is one death among several others before it and if the CP had been alive to his responsibilities as earlier said, it could have been averted and what is more, unless he changes his style, it is as if all of us are not safe in the state. When a government decides to be lawless, the CP is not expected to collaborate with such government,” he added.
It is crystal clear that politicians in the state have started beating the drums of war ahead of the general elections. It is also clear that the much-talked about free, fair and credible elections could not be achieved in a violence-prone atmosphere.
It is, therefore, imperative that security agencies and other stakeholders in the state collaborate to ensure that the elections are not marred by violence. The onus lies on the state police command to be more firm in asserting its authority, especially in the area of bringing perpetrators and sponsors of violence to book in order to serve as deterrent to others.
The time to do this is now!
Source:http://www.punchng.com/
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