Insecurity: Akeredolu Threatens to Sanction Traditional Rulers

Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday read the riot act to traditional rulers in the state over issues of cultism, settlers and chieftaincy disputes.

Akeredolu threatened to sanction any traditional ruler who allowed any unknown group of persons that settled in their domain without reverting to the state government.

The governor gave the warning in a statewide broadcast where he addressed issues of illegal herders in the forest reserves, cultism, chieftaincy crisis and the crisis in Owo and Ikare-Akoko in which over nine persons were killed and several others injured.

Akeredolu warned that any traditional ruler found unable to contain the activities of cultists in his domain would be sanctioned according to the law.

He listed Ikare-Akoko, Owo, Okitipupa and Igbokoda as communities, where cult activities were prevalent.

According to him, “The State Government will not hesitate to impose 24- hour curfew on any community where there are crises and any culpable traditional rulers shall be sanctioned “Every individual having illegal firearms are advised to submit them to the security agencies as government has mandated the security agencies to prosecute any person found with such weapons; and

Parents are advised to control their wards on the use of drugs and other enablers as security agencies have been mandated to be on guard with a view to apprehending users of such drugs.”

Akeredolu who denied report that 3,000 Fulani men were resident at the Army Barracks in Okitipupa, expressed concern over abuse of the social media to propagate false and fake news.