Armed terrorists planning to kidnap schoolchildren in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo

The kidnapping of schoolchildren might be moving to the South West as a pan-Yoruba group, Apapo Oodua Koya has revealed that armed terrorists are planning to abduct school children in Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states.

The warning was contained in a statement addressed to the three South-West governors by the Yoruba group called AOKOYA at the weekend.

According to Sahara Reporters, the group warned the concerned governors to build capacity to resist what they described as impending assaults, by having strong security strategies.

AOKOYA, in the press release signed by Ahmed Akorede, also said that terrorists ‘hibernating’ in Ogun, Oyo and Ondo forests are targeting primary and secondary schools in the three states, according to Sahara Reporters.

“The terrorists are at present mapping out their targets in Ondo, Oyo and Ogun states where they are gradually building armed fortresses. The groups are coordinated and linked with the kidnappers in Niger, Zamfara and Kaduna states,” Apapo Oodua Koya (AOKOYA) said.

“We got the information through credible intelligence. We have the capacity to tap some of the communication of the insurgents usually rendered in Fulfulde. They are planning to kidnap schoolchildren in large numbers in any or all of the states mentioned above.

“They are presently located at Yewa in Ogun State, they are in Oke-Ogun in Oyo and Idanre-Ondo town axis in Ondo State,” Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA) added in its letter to the state governors.

“It is our responsibility to inform you of the information at our disposal. We hope you begin to trust our intelligence beginning from two years ago when we warned the South-West Governors about armed Fulani cells spread across the South-West forests.”

“The governors are Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Engr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

“If you allow this kidnapping to take place, you will be helpless because the security network you have around you is not for you but designed and controlled by enemies of Yoruba Nation. The intelligence information you receive is largely designed to deceive you because you don’t own the structures.

“You are as vulnerable as a lonely bird on a housetop. Your future lay in an alliance with your own people at this difficult moment in Yoruba history.”

The group, however, went further to urge other South-West governors and their nearby counterparts to adopt an aggressive strategy to ruthlessly deal with insecurity in the region, especially as it relates to killings and kidnappings.

It urged other South-West states, including “Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Kwara, Kogi and Itsekiri to adopt” what it called an offensive strategy.

“There is a fundamentalist ring in the government of Nigeria heavily funded by certain individuals in government and also by two identified Middle East countries. The goal is to make Nigeria the terrorist hub in West Africa. Any conscious student of history should know this is possible if nothing is done to stop them,” it said.

The group gave the South-West governors some suggestions, saying, “Identify vulnerable institutions and provide effective architecture. Also, set up what the military calls ‘Watching Posts’ in all towns and villages across Yoruba land.

“Instead of using state budgets, communities should be mobilised to do this on their own. It will be about 15 feet tall mounted with night vision to locate oncoming attacks for immediate security alert. The cost is less than N350,000 (Three hundred and fifty thousand naira only), including the cost of binoculars for night vision and the building of the post which every community should be able to provide.

“Restructure Amotekun through retraining, recruitment of more hands to give prominent roles to radical Yoruba self-determination youths.”