We are pushing kidnappers out of Osun State —Vigilante boss, Ya-salam

Last month, Governor, Gboyega  Oyetola led a team to Ife/Ijesa Senatorial District where he held stakeholders meeting and spoke his mind on the activities of illegal miners in that zone. You were part of that meeting, can you share your impression about that gathering?

I was at the meeting, which was well attended by government officials and traditional rulers from Ife/Ijesa area. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the Owa of Ilesa, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran were also in attendance to know that it was not just an ordinary meeting. It was a meeting where the truth was told in clear language. I was there watching the Owa Obokun pointing accusing fingers at another traditional ruler in Ijesa land, telling the governor of the role the traditional ruler in question had played on the increase recorded in crime rate in the area. Kabiyesi said that Oba was fond of selling land indiscriminately to miners to the point that he does not live in his domain again but in Ilesa. I was happy listening to him because as a security person I know some traditional rulers cannot claim ignorance of what happens in their respective domains.

 

What do you mean by this declaration that some Obas are culpable?

What I mean is exactly what the Owa of Ilesa exposed.  I don’t think I should repeat it. But largely I am happy that he said it to the hearing of the chief security officer of the state under whose authority are all traditional rulers. I know the governor must have taken note to possibly do his own investigation. I can even say that investigating that allegation even beyond the Oba in question, is a right step to tackle criminal activities in the state. I have been on security years back with different stories of arrests and other discoveries. I want the governor to take the matter from where Oba Aromolaran stopped at that meeting.

 

Can you say the meeting was successful or otherwise?

I cannot say that now because results will determine my sincere answer to your question. If I say it was successful or it failed now, I am not honest. But something is clear, the governor, during his speech, expressed his displeasure at the state of things and told the miners his mind. He appeared to me and other attendees as one who is genuinely worried and seeking quick solution to the problem. As far as I am concerned genuine intention is what is needed. Politicians are difficult people; they know how to talk and do nothing after meeting. They also contribute to crime rate with the way they display wealth which the public know they make from public office. The youths are the most vulnerable in this regard; they are easily carried away and impatient. That is the reason for their desperation to get rich quickly. Other things which happened after that meeting have really impressed me about the governor’s commitment to rid the state of criminals.

 

I want you to expatiate on other things you just mentioned.

There was a meeting which I attended and where a security committee was raised. The composition of this committee has given us hope we need. You would agree with me that such a meeting would not hold without approval of the governor.

 

What is the composition of the committee?

The composition is rich, in terms of membership quality.

 

What do you mean by membership quality?

I referred to the category of people in that committee. They are people with experience.

• Police kill notorious kidnap ring leader during gun battle

Are they experienced on security matter because without this, the committee is empty, as far as I am concerned?

I may not be able to give you details beyond this.

 

Don’t you think the public deserve to know because the matter is about them?

What the public need is their security, not the process that ensures that security.

 

There must be policemen and Department of State Security in the committee.

Well, if you say so based on your imagination or, may be, your experience as a reporter. As I said earlier, what is important to me is result. What the committee will achieve at the end of the day is more paramount to us me.

 

Now tell me, are you sure the committee will achieve anything?

I am saying it that there is nothing that would stop the committee to achieve its purpose.

 

At your level as head of a vigilante group, what have you done to the kidnapping problem?

I want to tell you that it is not everything we disclose to the public. I mean it is not all our activities we must put on radio or in the newspapers. Security matter is more sensitive than any other things, and people in government know this. Of course, the public can be anxious to know, especially you, journalists. But it is not safe to say it all because what we call the public is admixture of the good, the bad and the worst. The criminals we chase don’t live in the sky. They are part and parcel of the society which we call the public. They read newspapers, they listen to radio, they watch television, they are also on social media too. So it will be counter-productive to say everything.

 

Have your men had one or more occasions to go after the kidnappers after reports?

We have done just that and recorded success. We are not trained to be overwhelmed by those characters. I can tell you that we are chasing them out of Osun State now. We use their tricks to get them, and they are no longer comfortable in their hideouts. Now the state government has recognized this and made efforts to see how we can collaborate with other law enforcement agencies. To use the language of the youths, we are good to go; we are ready to do more to ensure the state is removed from the list of black spots in the country. I am very happy with the step taken by the governor, especially on those illegal miners. Some of them migrated down from Zamfara State and became problems to us. But now the government is showing interest in what is going on in the mine site, we should be able to differentiate between those who do legitimate mining and those creating problems on our highways. Let them carry identity card issued by the state government and see if the criminals among them would not be fished out.

 

In the course of your operations, you must have discovered a lot of things. Kindly share one with our readers.

I have said it that we don’t go on air with our modus operandi and other details of our works. But I think   I owe you this based on your question. Our people in the South-west generally should not conclude that only the Fulanis are the kidnappers. Please, don’t misquote me on this point. What I am saying based on our findings is that there are also internal kidnappers who only hide under the picture of the Fulanis. There is no point in running away from this fact. The Fulanis have been here for a long time just as the Yorubas and other ethnic groups live peacefully in the North. But when crime is involved, we need to be very careful in treating the matter. On many occasions, I have interacted with the leadership of the Fulani, especially during the time the Bororos constituted danger on the highways robbing passengers. Our collaboration with them yielded result to some extent. What I am saying is that we should not all look at one direction in search of the kidnappers. We should spread our dragnet to see that it is more than what we think. Many may not know that some of these criminals are not Nigerians. Crime, especially terrorism has assumed international status cutting across different countries. For instance, the problem in the North Africa, Libya precisely, let to migration of armed youths to different parts of Africa. And Nigeria being the largest naturally became their target destination. But as I said earlier, in Osun State, we are on top of it. The public should also not overblow it to fuel anxiety among the travellers passing through the state. The media too should help us in reporting this matter with accuracy. You should do thorough findings to separate the truth from false alarm.

 

Are you saying all in the news are not true?

That is what I am talking about. Again, don’t misquote me. But there are some false alarm, and I have warned my men to be cautious in their response to calls.