The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams has alleged that the South-west has lost over N3 billion as ransom paid to bandits and kidnappers in four years.
Adams who said this at a conference organised by the south-west security stakeholders group (SSSG), which held in Abeokuta, Ogun state on Thursday August 19, added that insecurity in the country has reached an alarming dimension where there is urgent need for Nigerians to take drastic action towards ending the prevailing scourge.
He said;
“The south-west has lost over N3 billion as ransom paid to bandits and kidnappers ravaging the region in the last four years. And sadly too, we have lost a good number of our great sons and daughters to the criminal activities of the killer herdsmen and bandits.
“The situation in the country is so worrisome that travellers can hardly travel for a journey of about six hours in the country without facing the trauma of being kidnapped or killed by bandits. The recent killing in Jos was a sad reminder of the gory situation we face daily across the country.
“Insecurity has reached an alarming dimension where there is urgent need for us to take drastic action towards ending the prevailing scourge.”
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland also claimed that over 200 lives had been lost to kidnapping in the region within the years under review.
He added;
“As the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, I am privy to some certain information that certain security organisations do not have. When things happen in any community, they will call my line that, ‘Aare, what can you do?’
“Unfortunately, I don’t have enough power to act like the olden days Aare, but I am doing my own bit as a person that has a liberation organisation.’’
