Ekiti: Bamisile deplores continued voter kidnapping, calls for military intervention

A leading member of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Bamisile, has called for military intervention to stem the ongoing spate of voter kidnappings along the Emure-Eporo-Emure-Ile border post of Ekiti State.

Bamisile, who represents Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East Federal Constituency, said such traumatic cross-border kidnappings can only be addressed through a permanent military post along that part of the state.

The federal legislator made these remarks in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, condemning the recent kidnapping of some residents of Ekiti between Emure and Eporo Ekiti, in Emure Local Government Area of ​​the state.

Giving his view on the sordid scenarios, Bamisile said the escalating kidnappings began with the abduction of eight pupils, teachers and a driver from a nursery and primary school in the area in 2023. They have since grown into a regular phenomenon that his constituents now regard as a monster.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Delegated Legislation appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji to intensify efforts to contain those posing a threat to the citizens in this regard as he did resolutely in the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele section.

“Until now, the Ipao-Oke Ako-Irele axis of Ekiti State has been the worst hit by the activities of these terrorist gangs but Governor Biodun Oyebanji in collaboration with the Federal Government deployed military personnel to the area and now the residents can sleep soundly.

“But the Emure Ekiti axis is slowly becoming a monster that must be tackled head on. We are also using our contacts here in Abuja to draw the attention of the concerned federal government agencies to these senseless and terror attacks on my people.

“We all know that the Ise-Emure-Gbonyin axis remains the best cocoa belt in Ekiti State and if farmers are unable to reach their farms, it could affect the residents of this area in terms of income generation.

“Something urgently needs to be done to ensure that this kidnapping does not become so dangerous.”

Bamisile appealed to communities in the area to mobilise their local hunters to work with conventional security agencies to arrest those turning the area into a hotbed and hotspot for kidnappers.

He urged residents to provide the security agencies with accurate information about any fifth columnists among the local population who may be collaborating with these criminal elements to terrorize the population.