The Traditional Worshippers Association, Oyo State branch has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to replace the service Chiefs so as to allow for new ideas in security strategies in Nigeria while calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently convene an Inter-Religious and Ethnic Committee that will be meeting monthly to deliberate on issues relating to security situations and governance in Oyo State.
The body said this in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Surveyor Dasola Fadiran Adefabi and Secretary, Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode on Monday evening after their meeting at Ose-Meji Temple, Oja-Oba, Ibadan.
The association, while giving its support to the resolutions made by the South-West governors after a meeting held at Akure with leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association on Monday, which include the banning of herders in the States’ reserve forests.
The traditional worshippers called on governor Seyi Makinde and the federal government to accept their blames in the lacuna created over insecurity in Ibarapa land and Oke-Ogun, as well as killings, kidnappings and terrorism in other parts of Nigeria and asked for a change of strategy.
“It is important that all hands must be on deck to prevent the impending ethnic crisis in Oyo State and the nation at large as we call on the federal government and Oyo State government, under the leadership of governor Seyi Makinde to change strategy in their approach to the issue of security.
“We want to reignite the call on Buhari to change the old guards in the affairs of security in Nigeria as it is evident that they have no new tactics to combat the present security situation in our country, we cannot maintain the same approach to tackle a recurring security problem.
“Let there be new models of security strategies by new individuals that would be willing to make impacts, the security situation in our country has shown that those handling the affairs are not capable.
“We call on governor Seyi Makinde to urgently convene an inter-religious/Ethnic Committee that will have representatives of the traditional rulers, Christians, Muslims and traditional religion leaders and the security agencies as members, this will help nip so many security challenges in the bud and also make governance easy for his administration.”
The body said some of its members at the rural communities under the aegis of traditional hunters association of Nigeria were already giving adequate support to the Amotekun corps in ridding the State reserve forests of criminal elements that used to hide in the forest to kidnap and rob motorists and passengers.
They enjoined their members to organize special prayers for the success of the State administration and the federal government to conquer the battle against criminality.
“As a religious body, part of our roles is to put the nation in our prayers, we therefore implore traditional worshippers in various shrines and temples across the State to organize prayers for this State and the nation at large, the Muslims and Christians are also urged to do same so that we can all have a peaceful State for business and other developmental strides,” the statement said.
