Akeredolu Warns Against Further Unprovoked Attack On South-West

AKURE - Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has warned that the people of the South-West will not tolerate another unprovoked attack on the region under any guise.

He said this yesterday, while receiving Ogun, Lagos and Kwara state governors, Dapo Abiodun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq respectively, at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure.

Akeredolu, while welcoming his colleagues who paid a condolence visit to him over the terror attack on worshippers at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, said the people of Ondo State and South-West region at large had always been in peace and unity.

The immediate past governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, also joined the entourage as members of the Ondo State Executive Council (SEC), led by the Secretary to the State Government, Oladunni Odu, joined the governor to receive the visitors.

Akeredolu, who described the Owo attack as one too many, noted: “We are part of this country and we have always come in peace and we have maintained peace. We have been trying every time to maintain Nigeria because we believe in it.”

He thanked the governors for their solidarity, while describing their visit as not just symbolic but important. Abiodun, who spoke on behalf of the governors, said the attack was not just on the good people of Owo and Ondo State but the entire South-West region.

He said that the six governors of the South-West region would soon hold a security meeting on how to consolidate on the existing security system in the region.

“We have come this morning to commiserate with His Excellency and the good people of Owo and of course, Ondo State by extension, on the very dastardly event that happened at the Catholic Church in Owo,” he said.

MEANWHILE, a group, the Coalition of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, yesterday, said the people of South-West would resort to self-help and self-defence if governors of the region continue to fail in guaranteeing protection of life and property of the inhabitants.

This also came as the people of the region continued their three-day protest over the carnage in Owo, Ondo State and insecurity in Yorubaland.

Secretary-General of the coalition, Dr. Steve Abioye, who spoke with The Guardian, said the people would resort to self-help if the governments of the zone fail to protect the residents.