Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has revealed that the Federal Government ordered the police to sto
Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has revealed that the Federal Government ordered the police to stop inquiry into the death of his daughter, Mrs Funke Olakunri, who was killed by Fulani herdsmen on Benin/Ore road.
Recall that six months ago, suspected herdsmen in a kidnap attempt, shot and gruesomely murdered the second daughter of the Afenifere leader, between Kajola and Ore along Ondo-Ore road.
According to the nonagenarian, the Fasoranti family had requested an inquiry into the killing but expressed disappointment in the security agencies who informed the family that authorities had stopped the investigation into the matter, Tribune reports.
He said he could not fathom any reason for resting the inquiry by the Federal Government and said: “We made a request that an inquiry should be conducted but the authorities said it should not be done. In the case of my daughter, they normally should have done something very quickly, but the police said they were asked not to do it.
“We were very enthusiastic that the police would do something about it, we asked the police to do something about it but they came back to tell us they were asked not to do it. They told us they were asked to stop, they shouldn’t do it. Nigerian government said the investigation should not be done. I wouldn’t know why they said that I was disappointed and embarrassed myself.”
Speaking on the position of the family over the development, Fasoranti said “we feel very bad and very hopeless. There is nothing we can do because I got in touch with the presidency and I got a definite no; that is very disturbing.
“If a Head of State can say a thing like that, knowing fully well that the lady was killed without any defence, he should know our feeling about it. Normally, he should allow an enquiry to be carried out but he said no.”
Commending the SouthWest governors over the Amotekun security initiative, the leader of Afenifere, advised the governors not to be cowed by the Federal Government to drop the security concept. He lauded the initiative, saying the Amotekun security outfit will go a long way to protect the lives and property of the people of the region who elected the governors.
The Afenifere leader decried the rate of insecurity in the country and the region “Amotekun is a welcome development, but they were being asked not to do it. The Governor of Ondo State, Akeredolu, insisted that they would do it. I want them to go ahead and do it in the interest of our people; we cannot leave ourselves here, and helpless in the face of the incessant onslaught.
“Though Afenifere has not met on this, I am speaking their mind; their mind is that they should go ahead. The governors should speak with one voice and go ahead. I am speaking for the Yoruba elders too, they should go ahead. They should carry out their decisions by going ahead. What needs to be done should be done, they should go ahead with it. It is very bad to leave our people helpless, defenceless and without any succour; without any protection. The governors should go ahead, if they want to send all of us to prison, they should.”
Speaking on the declaration by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, describing the security outfit as illegal, Fasoranti said: “I think he is talking for somebody.”
He said Malami was speaking on behalf of the Federal Government as there was no official declaration from the presidency.
“Silence means consent, he is speaking the mind of the presidency, that’s what they want. It confirms the suspicion that they are trying to protect some interests here in the SouthWest. I agree with that too, so that they can go on and do what they like with impunity. It is unfortunate.
“The government can go-ahead to do whatever they like, but the mind of the people is to defend themselves. I think the government should know that people cannot leave themselves defenceless in this kind of situation.”
