The Ebira community has described the recent development of insecurity leveled against them and meeting with the Ondo state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over same issue as embarrassment to them.
This was stated in a press release issued and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Mr Richard Olatunde which was made available to Journalists yesterday.
Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN , directed the Ebira community to flush out criminals among them when he meet with them at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office, in Alagbaka Akure during a meeting yesterday .
Governor Akeredolu, stated that the Ebira people have lived with the indigenes of the State for too long, advised them against deviating from the farming trade.
The Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 17, Mr. Yusuf Mohammed Akeera; Heads of Security Agencies; members of the State Executive Council; and Chairmen of the six Local Government Councils in the Northern Senatorial districts of the State were in attendance.
Addressing reporters shortly after the closed door meeting, Governor Akeredolu said the meeting was summoned following the June 5 attack in Owo and other kidnapping cases in the State.
He said the leaders of the Ebira Community should get rid of criminals among them by themselves and deal with the situation the best way, so as to protect their name and integrity in the State.
“We summoned this meeting with our brothers. They are not new here but because of the recent developments that have to do with the Owo massacre and kidnappings, we have to call ourselves.
“I can assure you all that we have had very frank discussion with ourselves and the leader of the Ebiras in Ondo State spoke on behalf of Ebiras and few other persons
“It is clear that the message from us to them is well understood and we have assurance from the Ebiras who are living in Ondo State that they would corporate with the security agencies and that the incident in Owo was something that they themselves felt very bad about.
“I also have received a letter from Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, that is the leader of Ebira in the World, commiserating again and expressing his own embarrassment on what happened.
“So, we leave here today with the belief that our brothers, Ebira that are here, would at the least work to ensure that there is security in Ondo State and in doing that, we have charged them to discus with all their people.
“They have assured us they would do that and we want to call on our people that at least, let us continue with our brotherliness and maintain the good relationship we have had with them in the past.
“We believe that it is not those who are residing here that came to perpetrate this crime. That is what they have said and we should give them another chance.
“Let us live together in peace and I hope and pray that the Ebiras who are here in Ondo State will work with the government and security agencies to make sure that criminals are flushed out within our midst and they have our cooperation in whatever way they wish,” he noted.
The Ebira community who spoke through the leaders of the delegation, the Odeyani Anabira, Zubair Dan Musa and the state Chairman of Ebira, Alhaji Chief Abdulazeez Majeobaje said they were embarrassed with the development
