Ogun: Idiroko Border Residents are not Smugglers, Youths Caution Security Operatives.

Youths in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State yesterday appealed to security agents operating In the area to see residents and indigenes as their brothers and sister which must be treated with love and respect when ever they are carrying out their civic responsibility rather than killing the innocent residents of the area anytime there is crisis between them and the people during any face off with smuggler who are mostly non indigenes of the area in the last five years.

 for the Youth Policy Forum, Deji Imoleayo spoke on Tuesday shortly after the youth embarked on peace walk to all the security divisional headquarters in the LGA in commemoration of 59th independence anniversary.

Imoleayo also expressed concern that the residents are being treated like smugglers by security operatives because they live at the border areas between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

He however urged the security operatives to follow the law in the process of arresting smugglers within environment people reside in.

“If we want to count numbers of people that have been killed in this area in the last five years, it is more than hundred.

“The problem is that most of the victims are not the offenders, but innocent people going around with their daily business.

“That is why we are passing message that even though we are not stopping security agencies from doing their job, they should do it under the constitution, because the constitution do not permit them to be shooting sporadically where people resides or kill innocent citizens of the community” Imoleayo said.

Speaking on the walk, the youth coordinator said it became imperative to use this year’s 59th independence celebration to take a message of love and unity to the door steps of security agencies and parasatals domicile in the local government.

Addressing the youths, the Divisional Police Officer of Idiroko, Sunday Opebiyi urged the youth not to take law into their hands anytime there is crises between them and any security officer or other person in their area but always report cases to the police to deal with the issue according to law.

He advised them to continue to be ambassadors of peace in the community and wherever they may be.

“We could see that you people are being concern about peace. I am appealing to you, not take law into your hands, always report cases to the police and we would always be there for you. Make sure you are for peace and I know with peace there will be development,” Opebiyi said.

In the same vein the house of Assembly member representing the area in the Ogun State House of Assembly,Honourable Sikirat Ajibola who also participated in the peace walk commended the you for choosing the path of peace walk to express their mind to security operatives in the community.

The house of Assembly member who advised the youths to keep the flag flying also promised to always serve as a bridge between them and both federal and local security operatives domicile in the community through the sponsorship of bills that will further enhance the peaceful coexistence among all and sundry in the Local Government.