Bandits attack: Aiyedatiwa assures Ondo communities of safety

The Ondo state government, on Thursday, assured the residents of the four communities of Akure North local government area of the state, attacked by bandits of immediate security measures to curb further future attacks and ameliorate their plight.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who gave this assurance during his visit to the communitie,s also assured the residents of government intervention, condemning the brutal attack on Alajido and Sunday Camp farm settlements.

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The governor, who was represented by the Commander of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the state would deploy security measures to curb further attacks.

He said “On behalf of the good people of Ondo State, I commiserate with the affected families. We assure residents and farmers that now that the government is here, we will secure the area and bring the culprits to justice.

“It is a very unfortunate situation, and we pray such an incident never happens again.”

The governor who charged all heads of security agencies in the state to ensure that such an attack does not reoccur, urged the residents and farmers in the communities to return to their base.

While assuring the residente of their safety, the Amotekun commander who visited the Alajido and Sunday camp, where nine lives were lost, said adequate security will be provided for the people.

Responding, the Regent of Ademekun in Akure North Local Government, Princess Adelowo Adekemisola, described the attack as strange and unfortunate.

She said, “Immediately I was informed, I quickly alerted all security agencies and the government. I want to thank the government for its swift response and the impact we felt.”

A survivors, a 35-year-old farmer, Samson Joro from Taraba State, appealed to the government and security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

According to him, he has spent all his years in the community and expressed despair over the attack, saying there was no where for his to relocate to.

“My family and I have nowhere else to go. We really don’t know what happened that day or reasons behind the attacked.

“The bandits arrived in the middle of the night and started hearing gunshots. At first, they were at a distant, but soon they came closer.

“Before we realised what was happening, they have invaded and surrounded us, shooting while I heard my neighbour and his wife screaming.

“It was the herdsmen. By the time they left, we counted nine bodies, including a man and his child.”

The state government, however, disclosed that security forces had been deployed to the affected communities, while residents of the communities demanded justice and calling for stricter security measures to prevent further bloodshed.