Massacre In Owo, Ondo State: It’s Time To Talk–VOR
The massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State yesterday, left many people dead and scores of others injured. The identity of the terrorists remains unknown.
The entire community was devastated. The motive for the inhuman killing of innocent people who gathered to pray to and worship their God remains unfathomable but has once again reopened discussions on heightened insecurity in Nigeria.
It is simply disgusting and Governments are hesitating to call the senseless killings and kidnappings “terrorist attack.”
Terrorism is a premeditated act of violence to achieve specific agenda.
This attack have all trappings of premeditated assault but the agenda in this case is not yet known.
It is now obvious that the “culture of violence” is finally here. What happened in Owo is an act of terrorism and perhaps a precursor to baptism of terrorism to be expected in Yoruba land.
We cannot remain unconcerned while mindless mass killers are on the loose. We don’t know where and when they will strike next.
It therefore behoves every Yoruba man and woman to start taking keen interest in the security of their lives and property.
In the light of the above, it is imperative to ask what our representatives in the Federal and State Executive Council, Federal and State Legislative Councils are doing to ensure at least the security of our lives and property in Yoruba land. Or should we rather ask; do we have representatives in government? As usual, events prior to, during and immediately after the massacre in Owo show that all security operatives were completely invisible and utterly failed in their primary duty of protecting the worshippers.
Meanwhile, the state of insecurity in Nigeria is unquestionably linked to the failure of the constitution to allow state policing among other issues.
The state governments are powerless. Amotekun that was set up by some state governments in South West is not appropriately configured or properly equipped to tackle issues of this magnitude.We at VOR believe it is now time to talk.
VOR will as a matter of urgency convey a meeting of all stakeholders in Yoruba land to discuss especially the security of our ancestral home. Notice is hereby served that a meeting of all traditional rulers, political leaders, notable personalities and chieftains of corporate bodies in Yoruba land will be called very soon to discuss the future of Yoruba land.
For and on the behalf of VOR, I express our deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Government, the families of the victims of this dastardly act of terrorism and the good people of Yoruba land in general for the irreparable loss. Thank you.
Otunba Olusola Adekannola, Chairman,
Voice Of Reason (VOR)
