VICE President Yemi Osinbajo Sunday visited the national leader of the Pan Yoruba socio political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti to console him over the killing of his second daughter Funke Olakunrin by Fulani hersdmen.
Osinbajo was accompanied by the Ondo state governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The vice President wrote in the condolence register that : ” We cannot adequately express our grief but we stand with the family and especially Papa and the children in this period of sorrow. Praying the Almighty God will bless this family anew and afresh and comfort them all in Jesus Name.”
He met with the Afenifere leader in private.
The children of the deceased, Grand children and other family members were in attendance.
Speaking with newsmen after meeting with the widower ldowu Olakunrin promised that
the federal government will explore all options, including deploying soldiers on the highways, towards addressing the growing cases of security challenges in Nigeria.
Recall that the deceased was shot dead by Fulani hersdmen along Kajola axis of Lagos Benin expressway.
Governors of Oyo, Ekiti states, Seyi Makinde and Dr Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, leaders of Afenifere led by their deputy chairman Chief Ayo Adebanjo, political associates, clergymen have earlier visited the 94 year old politician to console him.
A security meeting was held on Saturday by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and all the security heads to find lasting solution to the spate of insecurity in the state.
Meanwhile, the South West of the Peoples Democratic party PDP has expressed concern over security concerns in the region.
A statement issued by its Zonal Publicity Secretary Ayo Fadaka in Akure said the party “express its concern on the continuing carnage and wanton destruction of lives in the South West by criminals of Fulani extraction, now commonly referred to as Fulani herdsmen and now declare that it is time something urgent and cogent be done on this malaise forthwith.
“We therefore take due notice of the murder of Mrs Olufunke Olakunri, daughter of Yoruba leader, Pa Ruben Fasoranti and thus declare this insult on the Yoruba nation is getting exacerbated.
“This murder possess a potential devastating effect on the nation as it has further reinforced the fear and distrust of the Yorubas for the immediate future of our nation and its security management which has clearly declined and deteriorated massively under the current dispensation.
“We also want to reiterate that the Yoruba nation is currently under siege as criminal elements from elsewhere have invaded our land, killing, raping and unduly oppressing us without agencies of State constitutionally saddled with responsibilities to protect us doing enough to manage this crisis in the South West.
“That the murder of Olufunke is the first high profile committed by these criminals, we hereby affirm that thousands of such murders have been committed by these same criminal Fulani herdsmen across the South West with no attendant repercussions on these criminal bands by agencies of government.
“That Yoruba people are enraged about these developments and believe that there exist plans to pursue ethnic cleansing in our nation. Due notice is constantly given to the fact that leadership of the Yoruba nation continues to be targeted by these criminal elements who once kidnapped Chief Olu Falae and attacked palaces, thereby desecrating and assaulting our corporate heritage as a people.
“Once again we urge the South West Governors to take their responsibilities serious. We wish to remind them that the “Yorubaness” in all of us cannot be sacrificed on the alter of partisanship or political expediency.
“We know that they continue to fail to make President Muhammadu Buhari realize the seriousness of this crisis as they all want to be in his good books, this attitude is irresponsible and cheap. We however commend Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for his continuing forthrightness and foresight on the issue of security in the South West.
“We note that President Buhari has once again issued another in the series of condolence messages, commiserating with Pa Ruben Fasoranti, father of Olufunke. In the message, he whimsically rationalize this murder as an armed robbery attack, we however differ and now tell him it was a Fulani herdsmen action, as people in that area of incidence clearly said that the location remains the criminals major theater of operation.
“We however want to remind the President that he was elected to be our Commander in Chief and not mourner in chief, it is his responsibility to make our nation safe from all strive and lawlessness, not to excuse and rationalize them, or even appear helpless or unimaginative at trying times like this when duty calls. Nigeria must not collapse under his watch as history will hold him responsible for such callous development.
“We affirm our loyalty to the national leadership of our Party and nation but however wish to state clearly that we are primarily Yorubas, therefore affected, afflicted and traumatized by synchronised attacks on our region.
Also, the All Progressive Congress in the state has consoled with the politician challenging security agencies on surveillance.
A statement by its state Publicity Secretary Alex Kalejaye in Akure said “It is our belief that the nonagenarian deserves a better deal from a society he served with all vigour and commitment. Only a divine consolation could tranquilize the devastating effect created by the wicked act.
“The State chapter is hopeful that the needless killing of Mrs. Olukunrin would trigger a deeper duty-bound concern among security stakeholders to fish out the agents of the harbingers of this unimaginable pains.
“We also expect security agencies to do more in the area of surveillance and intelligence gathering to justify governments’ monthly investments on security concerns. Travelling on our highways should be made safer.
“It is also imperative to challenge security agencies to do their utmost in ensuring that other hapless souls lagushing in various evil camps are liberated.
“We wish to remind all stakeholders that security is pivotal to the overall wellbeing of any society. Infrastructural development and efforts on economy can only add value if citizens are well secured.
The governorship candidate of the PDP in 2016 Eyitayo Jegede SAN has described the killing of Funke “as not only disheartening but also a sad reminder of the state of insecurity in the country.
Jegede, in a statement in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday, said he was miffed upon realising that despite cries by well-meaning Nigerians, indications continued to show that little or nothing was being done to stem the tide of banditry on the country’s highways.
“I was taken aback to hear of the killing of Pa Reuben Fashoranti’s daughter by hoodlums suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on the Benin-Shagamu expressway.
“This is not only disheartening but also a sad reminder of the state of insecurity in the country, about which many well-meaning Nigerians have shouted themselves hoax.
“This state of utter disappointment stems from the fact that despite cries by eminent citizens, especially from the South-West, and despite the concern shown by our party, the PDP, indications continue to show that little or nothing is being done to stem the tide of banditry on our highways..”
” The killing of Fashorati’s daughter is an unkind cut to the nonagenarian at the twilight of his life.”
“For somebody who has contributed a lot to the unity, progress and development of not only the Yoruba race but Nigeria as a whole, to have lost his daughter in this kind of circumstance is really, really appalling, and can only be described as the shame of a nation,”.
Jegede appealed to the Federal Government to encourage community policing by allowing the evolution of a state policing system, which he said the PDP would have implemented, if it had been in power.
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