In an attempt to tackle incessant Kidnappings and all forms of crime affecting the Ero Local Council Development Area(LCDA), in Ekiti state,the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Akin Alebiosu, has stipulated some collaborations between local hunters in the axis with the border towns of Kwara State to fish out transborder abductors for adequate punishment.
Alebiosu also applauded an ICT expert, Mr. Mike Olajide, for providing scholarship for brilliant indigent students, in honour of the late former federal lawmaker, Hon Robinson Gbadebo Ajiboye, saying this would boost scholarship and propel human capital develop in the agrarian council.
Ero LCDA was carved out of the substantive Moba Local Government and comprises towns like Igogo, Erinmope, Aaye Oja, Ikosun, Ikun, Isaoye and Irare, shares border with Kwara State, where scores of people had been kidnapped in recent time.
Alebiosu while speaking yesterday with journalists in Igogo Ekiti, headquarters of Ero LCDA after a security meeting with the traditional rulers, on Monday, said the council had agreed on the constitution of local hunters into vigilance groups in all the component towns to work with communities in Kwara borders to check recurrent transborder Kidnappings in the area.
“We held a meeting with our traditional rulers and all the towns had agreed to form local vigilantes that will be drawn from the local hunters to work with the local hunters already in place in towns in Kwara borders like Obbo Ayegunle, Odo Owa, Osi, Ekan Meje and others.
“We are all bothered with the ways our people were being kidnapped ,but I know we will overcome these. The problem had always been that those being kidnapped in our area, within 10 minutes, the kidnappers would have driven them across border to Kwara State, so this makes things difficult for our security agencies.
“But if we have strong local vigillance groups working with towns in Kwara borders, we will be able to apprehend those behind these dastardly acts and that we shall achieve, because we have mapped out our strategies”, Alebiosu said.
In the area of education, Alebiosu lauded the scholarship scheme instituted by the Philanthropist in honour of Hon Ajiboye, who represented Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido/Osi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives between 2011-2015 for secondary school students.
The Council boss described the gesture as the best legacy that can benefit the poor and create more academic icons in the local government and Ekiti in general.
The council boss commended Olajide for offering scholarship up to the university level for one Adedoyin Fabiyi for emerging the best student in Moba Local Government in an essay competition organised in honour of the late ex-federal lawmaker.
“The essay competition was moderated by scholars from the University of Lagos and was organised for all secondary schools and Adedoyin Fabiyi of Amure High School,Ikun Ekiti came first and got scholarship up to the university level to be sponsored by the philanthropist .
“The second and third positions, Ben-Omotuase Jesutofunmi of Saliu Adeoti Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School, Otun Ekiti and Adeleke Success of Moba Grammar School, also received financial benefits respectively .
“We really appreciate this because education remains the leveler and best way to promote equality, facilitate ways for the children of the poor to get opportunities and make them relevant in the society”.
Alebiosu maintained that the late politician served the people spiritedly and selfless during his lifetime, describing the scholarship scheme initiated in his name as further consolidation of the democracy gains for the people.