Conspiracy against us ‘ll not hold, Gani Adams replies Police

The Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland, Ganiyu Adams, has said the Odua People’s Congress would not be deterred by the onslaught of the police on its patriotic determination to rid southwest of kidnappers, arsonists and other criminal elements.

He disclosed this while reacting to the arrest of OPC members involved in apprehending the suspected kidnap suspect, Iskilu Wakilu at the weekend by the police over allegations of murder, arson and other charges.

Wakili and three of his accomplices, who have been fingered in various kidnappings and killings in the past in Ibarapa and Oke Ogun axis of the state, was arrested after several attempts by the OPC at the weekend.

He also has a history of allegedly seizing hectares of farmlands in the community with threat to the lives of owners.

Oyo Police Command confirmed at the weekend confirmed that the OPC members are in custody, and being interrogated for their involvement in arson and murder while carrying out the arrest of Wakili.

Reacting to the arrest on alleged trumped up charges, Gani Adams called on security operatives to correct the impression taking hold among the populace before peoples’ minds are closed up on the growing image of security agencies as champions of terror.

He said the arrest was unfortunate, recalling that major breakthroughs recorded by the police in Oyo

The OPC leader said stakeholders will not allow insecurity in Yorubaland to degenerate to the level of monumental tragedy ravaging the Northeast and Northwest.

He told reporters in Lagos that the arrest of the OPC members after they had apprehended Wakilu was in bad faith, adding that he suspected that they were arrested, based on order from above.

“Wakili has been acting like a terror. No police, no security agent could arrest him. He was involved in a series of kidnappings in Igangan, Ayete, Igbo-Ora. He was the godfather of kidnapping.

“The police made two attempts to arrest him. They went with between 12 and 15 vehicles. The chairman of the local government harboured the policemen for two weeks. They could not arrest them.”

He stressed: “Wakili’s kinsmen were with guns, bows and arrows. When OPC stormed the place, his boys escaped, moving among cows, and they went to the Republic of Benin. Between 6pm and 7pm, Wakili was arrested. The Nigerian police do not want the security and safety of our people.”

Adams said Wakili is not blind as being speculated, pointing out that he is pretending.

“The kings and community leaders perceived Wakili as a spirit, who could turn to anything. The DPO and OPC had been strategising on how to arrest Wakilu. Sixty percent of the breakthroughs of the police were through the support of OPC and other local vigilante groups.”