Owo Killings: Declare State of Emergency on Forest Reserves, Lawmakers Tell FG

• Mull inclusion of state police in constitution
Udora Orizu in Abuja
The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the various forest reserves in Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, Ondo State in order to comb and fish out criminals perpetrating crimes.

The House condemned in strong terms, the recent killings of worshippers in a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State by gunmen, mandating the police authorities not to stop at just fishing out the perpetrators but to also prosecute them so that at the end, justice may be served.
The lawmakers said it is high time they discussed the issue of state police in order to include it in the constitution.
They directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to alleviate the suffering of the family members of those that lost their lives by supplying them with essential relief materials. 
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by the lawmaker representing the constituency, Hon. Adelegbe Oluwatimehin, Thursday.
Moving the motion, Oluwatimehin recalled that on Sunday, June 5, 2022, at about 12:00 noon, while the holy mass was going on, there was a deadly attack carried out on St. Francis Catholic Church located at Owa-luwa Street, about 200 meters away from the palace of the traditional ruler of Owo, Olowo of Owo Kingdom in Ondo State by gunmen.
He also recalled that a similar attack was carried out on Molege community within Ose Local Government Area of the state at midnight of January 6, 2022, where farmlands and houses were set ablaze and three persons killed.
He noted that the dastardly act was reportedly carried out on the innocent congregation with the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) after which the defenceless people were being shot indiscriminately.
He expressed sadness that the attack left behind over 50 persons dead in their own pool of blood and many more injured and presently on lifeline at the various hospitals and homes. 

The lawmaker said: “Further recall that on Sunday, 23rd day of January, 2022, in the dead of the night, there was a deadly attack carried out on Okeluse community of Ose Local Government Area of the state also by gunmen suspected to be the same Fulani herdsmen razing down farmlands, houses and left three persons dead. Further recall that about November 2021, a group of herdsmen killed the Olufon of Ifon in Ose Local Government, Oba Israel Adewusi, of blessed memory.
“Worried that in the last three weeks, 30 persons kidnapped at different locations in Ose Local Government and several millions have been collected in ransom payment. Four days ago, five people were kidnapped at Olufa in the same Ose Local Government and they are yet to be released. Just this morning, Mr Speaker, sporadic shooting is going on in the communities of Okeluse, Molege and Arimogija in the same Ose Local Government. Certain that unless drastic security measures are put in place, similar attacks will continue to be carried out by the perpetrators until many communities are completely wiped out in the local government area and other parts of my constituency.”
Adopting the motion, the House observed a minute silence in honour of the innocent worshippers who lost their lives in the massacre.