Attack on Oyo Correctional facility exposed Nigeria’s poor security situation: Gani Adams

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Saturday, condemned the attack of the Oyo town correctional facility, saying the invasion was a national embarrassment. Suspected bandits on Friday night reportedly attacked the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo town, freeing unspecified number of inmates at the facility. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi, the Yoruba generalissimo said the invasion of Oyo town prison by bandits has exposed the poor security situation in the country. He also expressed concern at the situation, adding that Oyo state and the entire southwest has never experienced such jailbreak in a very long time, adding that the same situation also played out in Kabba, Kogi state. Adams, however, blamed the Oyo state security service for its failure to beef up the security in the prison. He said: “Oyo town has never recorded such incident in its long history. It is unfortunate that insecurity has triggered various types of menace across the country. “Following the attack on the Abuja- bound train, and the Oyo prison attack, it is certainly no doubt that the bandits are playing out a script that will later engulf the entire nation. “It is, indeed, very ridiculous to hear such unsavoury news coming from the ancient town. “However, I want to express my concern to Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Oyo state government. “I am also using this opportunity to urge the Inspector General of Police to look into the security situation in Oyo and address the problem in the most professional manner. “Oyo state is very sensitive to the southwest and we cannot continue to live in fears. “Adams, however, restated his belief in regionalism, saying the best solution to the myriads of problems confronting the nation is to allow each component of the federating units to control the security architectures of their respective region as it was specified in the 1963 constitution. He said: “The idea of using only one police structure is as old as the heaven and no good nation can be secured under that arrangement. “A country with over 200 million population, and over 300 ethnic nationalities cannot thrive and prosper under deceit and acrimony. “The only solution to the security impasse in the country is to go back to regionalism, where each segment of the region would control the security of their respective region. The Federal Police is overstretched, let the local and state governments have their police as it is done in the developed world.”With the present security situation in Nigeria, it is very clear that Nigeria has grown beyond having only one police structure. And until we change this old arrangement, the nation will continue to struggle to combat insurgency.” (Saturday Vanguard)