The World Institute for Peace, a civil society organization, has condemned the escalating hoodlum clashes in Osun State.
The group said that between July and December, numerous citizens had been hurt and at least 10 had died as a result of these fights, but that no suspect had been captured by security forces.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, the group’s Executive Chairman, Lamina Omotoyosi, warned that if hoodlum activity in the state is not urgently reined in, it might negatively impact the success of the 2023 general election.
Omotoyosi said, “It is clear that the most crucial purpose of security is to protect people and their property. This includes both their physical safety and their possessions, as good security measures will make it difficult for criminals to target a person or a place.
“(The) World Institute for Peace, an international organisation, urges the security agencies in Nigeria to focus the force artillery and manpower to combat the recent rampant killings and havoc by hoodlum clashes in Osun State between July and December.
“We implore security operatives in this country to join forces in other to make the state habitable for the February 2023 general election.
“We cited the case of the recent gruesome murder of ex-Osun park revenue collector, Waheed Abioye, whose corpse was burnt after his killing. This was perpetrated by suspected hoodlums in Osogbo, Osun State capital few days ago.
“Over the past five months, political thugs and unidentified hoodlums have killed more than 10 citizens of Osun, both identified and unidentified, whose deaths were cold-blooded and brutal. Of those perpetrators, none have been arrested and they are moving freely on the streets of Osun.”
