Cult Clashes: Stop Ladi Adebutu From Declaring His Gubernatorial Ambition, NANS Tells Security Agencies

ABEOKUTA - Following the rising spate of cult clashes and killings in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital which has claimed not less than seven lives, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on security operatives in the state to caution the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) from declaring his ambition scheduled for today.

Adebutu had yesterday announced his intention to officially declare for the governorship seat against the incumbent, Governor Dapo Abiodun of APC at the Ake palace ground in Abeokuta.

The students body, in a release signed by its State Chairman, Damilola Simeon said the decision by Hon. Ladi Adebutu to gather political friends and party members became worrisome and mind bothering considering the security situation of the state.

NANS maintained that political gatherings that will attract large crowds of people should be suspended to prevent the cult groups from taking advantage of the event to forment another clash.

Simeon hinged his position on the fact that political gathering is always filled with different kinds of people with different motives that could be of threat to the peace and security of the state.

"The Nigerian students in Ogun state are privy to the information that some politicians in the state are planning a huge convergence of crowd for the declaration of their political ambitions from tomorrow, Wednesday 30th of March, 2022. 

"This information has become worrisome and mind bothering for us considering the security situation of the state at this period. 

"In the last few days, the ugly clashes between rival cult groups have been the prominent news in the state with so many injuries, destruction of properties, unrest, and even unaccountable death tolls resulting from it. It is expected that politicians, who are stakeholders and policymakers in the state should take caution and observe security measures. Therefore political gatherings that will attract a large crowd with no scrutinization ought to be suspended until there is the restoration of security normalcy in the state. 

"An average Nigerian knows that political gatherings with large crowds needed for declaration of ambition are always filled up with different kinds of people with different motives that could be of threat to the security of the state. In like manner, politicians contesting for different positions that would be attending the event tomorrow in Ake, Abeokuta, specifically would mobilize not only the cheering crowd but also thugs and miscreants for their supremacy contest. This means that the cultists who are carrying out their deadly act in disguise and still constituting a threat to peace would now have a free day to move around because it will be difficult to pick out dangerous people from the crowd. We should be expecting cult clashes that are deadlier than what has been happening in the last few days. 

"We believe the security agencies like the DSS, NPF, NSCDC, etc should be conscious of this fact and be able to take precautions. It is unfortunate that when they are yet to contain the sudden insecurity in the state, they are granting politicians the approval to converge a large crowd of uncontrolled people like a declaration event to hold. This calls for serious concern for us as citizens and students leaders. 

"The basic duty of the state should be the protection of lives and properties of the people. As such, any gathering that would be of security threat to the state should be dismissed by the security agencies for now until there is a restoration of normalcy in the state. A failure to take this precautionary notice shall be regarded as a deliberate conspiracy of the heads of security agencies in the state to place the interest of their politician friends above the security of lives and properties of the people of Ogun state. 

"Conclusively, we demand an immediate effort by the state government and relevant security agencies to see to an end to this security menace. Its high time security intelligence is maximally adapted to resolve the lingering cult clashes in our dear state so that Ogun people go by their normal activities without fear. Security of all of us should be prioritized above political interest."