Oyebanji urges military support over Ekiti attacks

The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has requested more soldiers to curtail the rising crime rate in his state.

His request came after the abduction of six pupils of Apostolic Faith School, three teachers, and a driver during an attack on the school bus on its way to Eporo-Ekiti from Emure on Monday.

Also, two traditional rulers in the state were killed by suspected kidnappers.

Oyebanji, during his visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, noted that the presence of troops would help avert future occurrences of the incidents.

This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau.

The statement partly read, “The Governor of Ekiti State who was accompanied on the visit by the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and other government top functionaries commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria for keeping Nigeria safe and indivisible.

“The situation would have been worse without the intervention and contributions of the AFN.

“The Governor also briefed the CDS on the unfortunate recent killings of traditional rulers in the state, while seeking for more security presence to avert further occurrences.”

The Chief of Defence Staff, on his part, called on the governor to consider using the locals to complement and support security agencies in curbing the menace of criminality in the state.

The CDS commiserated with the governor and assured him of continuous support to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.

“Musa further harps on the need for the country to have a comprehensive database of visitors in and out of the nation. This he said will help the security agencies to keep tabs and monitor situations in case of any infringement.

“The CDS also appreciates the Governor for his support and commitment to the course of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, the statement added.