Group dissociates self from petition to Buhari, condemns increasing violence in Osun

A group, the Osun Civil Societies Coalition(OCSC), has dissociated itself from a press conference and the petition sent to President Muhammadu Buhari on the political violence in the state.

Recall that the political violence in the state culminated in the gun battle on Monday, February 14, 2022, in between some thought political hooligans and the security agents attached to Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister for Interior.

The group also disowned the Coalition of Civil Societies Organisation and the petition with the heading: “Socially careless and hazardous Actions of The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.”

Making this known in a press conference on Tuesday in Osogbo, the group maintained that it does not know anything about the press conference and petition sent out to the president, insisting that all the people and organisations listed as signatories to the petition were not members of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition.

The Chairman, Waheed Lawal, exposed that the actions of the petitioners were politically encouraged for budgeting gains adding that the said people were fast created by political aspects who required the service of available, corruptible civil society groups to drive their selfish interest.

Lawal, who likewise noted that there was a growing trend of insecurity with a side destination of political violence in the state, discussed that some conventional rulers were forced to unwillingly state a sunset to dawn curfew due to the incessant heist incidents.

“There is a growing trend of insecurity with a side destination of political violence. Just recently, the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi stated a dusk to dawn curfew since of the constant armed robbery in the city.

“The Aree in Council in Iree, the host community of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, likewise declared curfew due to the fact that of heist, kidnapping and ritual killings in the town a couple of weeks ago. Hoodlums and cultists have been terrorising Ilesa and Ede consistently, leaving absolutely nothing less than 18 people dead.

“Osogbo, the state capital, is now a house for both goons and cultists. The rate at which punks are ‘growing’ in Osogbo is disconcerting and this requires concern from all reasonable citizens of the state,” he said.

While attracting the politicians, the state guv, Adegboyega Oyetola; and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; to accept peace, Lawal condemned the political violence and people connected to it.

He likewise called on the security companies in the state to act quick in restoring peace to Osun.