With the recent upsurge of murderous banditry and terrorism around Oke-Ode town in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, and the consequent influx of refugees into the town, the Oke-Ode Community Development Association (OCDA) has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of utmost urgency, consider the establishment of an Internally Displaced People’s Camp (IDP) in the town.
This, according to the National President of OCDA, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajala Bello, is necessary in order to avoid overcrowding and overstretching of available resources, a situation that could result in the outbreak of serious epidemic diseases.
Very recently, several surrounding villages in the Oke-Ode axis have been attacked by bandits and kidnappers who overran the communities, killing and maiming innocent inhabitants with the survivors leaving the villages in droves in search of sanctuary in other towns, with Oke-Ode community being their immediate settlement destination.
In a press statement made available to DailyLinks by the National Public Relations Officer of the Community Development Association, Mr Kunle Akogun, the National President also called on the authorities to urgently site a Military Base in Oke-Ode town to flush out bandits and kidnappers in the area, which is an important economic zone in Kwara State.
Alhaji Ajala Bello also appealed to the Government to consider establishing a Cattle Ranch in Oke-Ode town as a way of permanently ending the perennial farmers-herders skirmishes, which have snowballed into the banditry and kidnapping that have continued to make life very difficult for indigenes and inhabitants of the town.
The OCDA National President pointed out that there is sufficient land in the area to accommodate the Ranch and the People would most heartily welcome it.
Alhaji Ajala Bello, however, reiterated his earlier appeal to the state government and Police Command to intensity their security efforts to permanently flush out the criminal elements from the Oke-Ode axis, in particular, and all parts of the state ,in general.