Candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the 2023 Kogi governorship election, Otunba Olayinka Braimoh, has called on Federal Government to deploy all necessary measures and bring lasting peace to Bunu land in Kabba-Bunu local government area of the state.
In a statement on Thursday, Braimoh said the intervention is needed urgently before the inhabitants of Bunu communities are wiped out by marauding bandits.
Braimoh, who hails from Akutupa Kiri in Bunu land, said at the moment, nowhere is safe in the entire Bunu land.
“Just a little while ago, I got another distressed call from my people in Ayetoro-Kiri, located in the Kabba-Bunu local government area of Kogi state. They reported that yet another set of our community members have been kidnapped. Among the victims are Johnson Enoch, Dupe Akoro Barinkin, Elder Maiye, and three others. This horrifying incident took place in broad daylight, with the attackers arriving in large numbers and firing their weapons indiscriminately, sending everyone into a panic.
“Unfortunately, this has been the routine across Bunu land such that the people now move out of their ancestral homes in search of safety.
“It is truly disheartening to witness how some influential figures in our society choose to ignore the daily kidnappings and killings affecting our people in Bunu. Instead, they seem more interested in praising the state government while there is palpable fear of insecurity in the land. They are well aware that the state government budgets significant funds for security, yet we see no real investment in protecting the lives and property of the Bunu people. What good is the people’s vote if the state government can’t ensure their safety?
“There are those who question what we, as individuals, are doing to tackle the rising insecurity in our area. Between those of us in private business and the state government, which is responsible for the safety of its citizens and has access to vast security budgets running into billions of naira, who should be more concerned? Given the security resources at the state’s disposal, how can anyone compare the efforts of private citizens to those of the state governor, who has the full authority to allocate the necessary resources to effectively address this insecurity?,” he asked.
Braimoh said the local vigilantes and hunters, armed only with their traditional tools, find themselves outmatched as they try to defend our lands from the invaders.
“Unfortunately, they struggle to stand up to the criminals, who often come equipped with high-tech weaponry and in overwhelming numbers.
“This is why many concerned residents of Bunu land are now calling on the federal government to step in and deploy all necessary measures that can bring a lasting peace to Bunu land . We urgently need this intervention before we’re completely wiped out. This is a serious issue that needs immediate action, and we sincerely hope the federal government of Nigeria will take the right steps,” the statement added.
