It is approaching three weeks since 39 schoolchildren and eight of their teachers have been held captive, exposed to harsh weather and rain. The parents are enduring psychological trauma, oscillating between hope, anxiety, and hopelessness. Questions abound: How are the children and teachers fed? Where do they get drinking water in the National Park? Where do they sleep? This matter should concentrate the minds of all people of conscience and sensitivity. It should preoccupy Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. Nothing else should matter to him, day and night, until the children are freed from their dungeon.
Governor's Inaction Raises Concerns
One would have thought that Governor Makinde would enlist the help of traditionalists, particularly hunters who claim knowledge of the terrain in their communities and the National Park, and who possess unique abilities. These hunters stated two weeks ago that they were ready and only awaiting the governor's nod. Surprisingly, the governor has not even given them a sign. This is the same governor who distanced himself from non-state actors during the Igangan rescue operation in Oyo North, conducted by Sunday Igboho. Igboho, who used herbal remedies, ginger, and garlic to recover from COVID-19, announced his own victory. Others who relied on orthodox medicine in sophisticated Lagos medical centers did not survive the pandemic.
The Role of Traditional Helpers
There are beings at work in the forest and beyond, tending to nature. Unspoilt children can still see them even in this modern age. The wise course for Governor Makinde is to invite and register these volunteers, so that the genuine can be separated from the charlatans. Groups like the OPC, Agbekoya, and Sunday Igboho say they are only waiting for the governor's permission, so that later, as non-state actors, they are not labeled as bandits or terrorists. They are not asking for the dismantling of the existing security architecture. Each party would work independently while sharing the same objective.
Call for State Police
Ultimately, the solution to the seemingly intractable and escalating insecurity lies in the establishment of state police. There is already a national consensus on the urgent need to bring it into existence. What is causing the delay?
