AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Stakeholders in the South-West zone of the country should find lasting solution to the problem of kidnapping in the interest of all, the Atoóbaáse of Yorubaland, Dr. Babajide Agunbiade (FNSE), has advised.
Agunbiade, the Asiwaju of Fiditiland, made the call while reacting to the recent kidnap of the former deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Adigun Agbaje (now released), along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
He said that it was high time the leadership of the zone agreed to hold an emergency meeting to brainstorm on way forward.
According to him, both the federal and state governments should work in tandem with the security agencies to address the issue of insecurity in the South-West.
He said that turning the region to a haven for kidnappers was sad and worrisome.
Agunbiade stated that “I’m saddened that our citizens across professionals, religious body and academia have become targets for kidnappers because of moral decadence, poverty, and an absence of security.
“The case of Prof. Adigun Agbaje is one of the hundreds of kidnappings we witnessed recently, and we need to find an urgent and lasting solution before things get out of hand.
“I believe that we, as stakeholders and leaders, need to urgently organize a security summit to find a way to mitigate the problem of kidnapping instead of leaving everything to the government.
“I will also need to reprimand Sheikh Gumi for patronizing the kidnappers by saying they will be requesting dollars as ransom now that the Central Bank of Nigeria wants to change our currency.”
