Wednesday 9th, 2021: The Deputy National President of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (FOBTOB), Comrade Adebayo Aderogba, on Wednesday urged Nigerians in general and the people of Oyo State in particular to eschew bitterness, embrace peace and peaceful co-existence.

The labour leader also urged the state governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde, to take ‘the bull by the horn’ and do the needful to protect the good 
people of the pacesetter state, who overwhelmingly elected him as their governor.

Speaking in an Exclusive Interview with CEOAFRICA in Ibadan, Comrade Aderogba said that a situation where the All Progressives Congress led- Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari allowed bandits, herdsmen and hooligans to have their way to maim, rape and kill ordinary Nigerians, any state government that knows its onions would act decisively to protect his people since the centre seems not on top of the security quagmire the country is battling.

He enjoined all Nigerians to eschew bitterness and embrace peace and harmony as the first step for the healing of the country.

FOBTOB Deputy National  President who was speaking at the backdrop of the recent invasion of Igangan, a community in Ibarapa area of the state also advocated for the holding of a stakeholder conference on security  in the country to tackle the menace of insecurity.

“There should be a stakeholders Conference concerning the insecurities in Nigeria where individuals, organisations and communities would come together in order to stop the killings and offer ideas, recommendations and solutions to stop the brigandage in the country.”

Aderogba pleaded with the federal government to find a lasting solution to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria, saying nowhere is safe in Nigeria now and it does not speak well of the leadership.

He said “the Bandits are there killing and kidnapping people and demanding ransom,” insisting that those people involved in
perpetrating these evil acts should be tracked down, arrested and prosecuted..

He charged the Federal government to act fast about insecurity in Nigeria as lawlessness, loss of lives and properties have become daily
occurrence  on the pages of the nation’s dailies which does not portray the image of the country in a good light.

He added that the perpetrators of the Igangan incident should be brought to book so as to avoid a repeat in the nearest future.

Comrade Aderogba, who is an indigene of Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo described the Igangan episode as an unfortunate occurrence and advised the Oyo state governor to work collaboratively with his brother governors in the South west and equip the South West security Network codenamed Amotekun, to protect the people of the region since the federal Police and the all the federal security apparatus have failed in protecting the people.

“The South West governors have approved the joint operation of Amotekun and the governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, has said that
he needs the federal government’s approval so that Amotekun can be carrying AK47, the earlier the federal power approve this the better
since their security apparatus has failed in protecting our people,” he said.

He encouraged the state governor to go ahead with his plans on the reinvigoration and empowering of the Amotekun adding that it is a good development for the people of Oyo State.

The unionist wondered about the type of Constitution Nigeria is running which arrogates virtually all powers at the centre saying that
‘the same centre is not ready to deliver.’

According to him, “that is what I am saying about the position of the Nigerian Constitution, the state governments are just in control of
the state security on paper, must state government(s) have to seek for approval before they can secure their state, that means there is a
fundamental issue in the Nigerian constitution”.

“The Nigeria constitution does not even give the state governor the authority to actually take charge of security architecture in the
state due to the kind of the constitution we are operating. The president is the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria and all other security agencies in the country. the state is just there.

“This type of constitution we are operating in Nigeria is not good for us, it is causing more harm than good to us; so, we really need to
re-work it.”

FOBTOB Deputy  National  President then advised those drumming the beats of war to stop forthwith as war does not breed any good.

“Anyone who has experienced or witnessed war will not talk about war in Nigeria. War is not just about fighting alone, it also involves and brings hunger, consequences of hunger, women and children will not be safe and above all war often comes along with poverty.

He then commended Governor Makinde for his efforts in making things right again in Oyo state.