The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has urged governors of the South-West region to strengthen the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun in order to prevent the re-occurrence of the killings of the innocent worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State by the suspected bandits.
The Catholic Diocese of Ondo organised the mass burial of the 40 victims confirmed dead on Friday, June 17.
In a statement entitled, ‘The Owo Bloodbath’ signed by the NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje and made available to newsmen he condemned the attack and described the invasion of the church as a “horrifying desecration of a place of worship.”
Owoaje who commiserated with the people of Owo and the Catholic Diocese of Ondo lambasted the Federal Government over its inability to tackle terrorism in the country.
“Incidents like the Owo mass murder and others that have, like clockwork, preceded it across different communities in Nigeria, continue to reemphasise the manifest questions about the competence of the Federal Government and the embarrassing habitual helplessness of our security agencies in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators. It is shameful and stressful that the Nigerian government and its security agencies are not forestalling these violent schemes nor identifying, apprehending and bringing their sponsors to justice,” he said.
Owoaje expressed disappointment that President Muhammadu Buhari’s apathy for violence was again demonstrated as he could not match action with words over his directive for the mobilisation of state resources to find and neutralise the criminals.
He called on the Federal Government to “rouse itself from its scandalous inertia” and work with state governments as well as seek help from friendly foreign countries on personnel training, intelligence gathering and surveillance technology to tackle terrorism.
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While calling on South-West governors not to pay lip service to its recent recommendations reached at its meeting to increase surveillance of undocumented settlers and identity management of Okada riders, he urged them to prioritise reconvening of the South-West Security Committee with utmost urgency.
The statement reads in part, “it is time for Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun, which was high-flying when it kicked off on January 9 2020 to rejig its capacity for tactical operations and intelligence gathering to confront and neutralise what is an existential threat in its domain.
“South-West governors should put partisan politics aside and strengthen the Amotekun Corps in tactical operations and intelligence gathering. South-West governors should not play the ostrich and feign ignorance on what is at stake.
“The recent judgement of an Ondo State High Court which sentenced to death three killers of Mrs Olufunke Olakurin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, is a pointer on how the government, law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should be firm in dealing with criminality. Nigeria has laws against murder, manslaughter, endangerment, destruction, violence etc. The message should be unambiguous that the law would be applied resolutely and criminals brought to justice.
“A government that cannot protect its people compromises its own legitimacy. The President Buhari administration has the constitutional duty to protect Nigerians from marauding and maniacal criminals. As our hearts go out to the people of Owo, we say to our leaders, enough with the fiddling while the wanton killing of Nigerians continues!”