There has been an outcry among sections of the populace in Osun over the birthday celebrations of the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, despite an attack by daredevil armed robbers in his home town Iragbiji, on Tuesday.
The governor celebrated his 67th birthday on Wednesday with an outpouring of felicitations from within and outside the state.
A social crusader, Maxwell Rotimi while speaking with DAILY POST, said the celebration which came a day after the sad incident should have been withheld or celebrated low keyed to mourn the two lives that were cut short during the armed robbery operation.
He said, “Though the governor may have been planning the event months ahead, nobody could have anticipated that such a bloodletting could occur on the eve of such an auspicious occasion.
“Governor Adegboyega Oyetola should have shown empathy by either postponing celebration or done it in a low fashion without pulling crowds.
“His foot soldiers too did a lot of harm to the credibility of the governor. They went to town and made it carnival-like when the state was supposed to be mourning the lives of brave police officers cut short in the ancestral home of the governor.”
Another resident, Afolabi Saheed said the birthday show was not proper, adding that though he had the right to live as he wanted, the governor’s action showed he was not a man of the people as he claimed.
“Yes, we know that the state government had sent a delegation to Iragbiji town.
“As usual, the delegation is high powered comprising the government’s big guns but why must it come after 48 hours.
“People died on Tuesday. The government partied on Wednesday feigning ignorance of what had occurred in the home town of the state governor and then switched to sorrow again on Thursday.”
Who are they deceiving? If Mr. Governor thinks he is deceiving the people, can he deceive himself? He should be truthful to himself. That action is very wrong.”
Another respondent, Felicia Ayoola, said the police should have been proactive to nip the situation in the bud by studying the pattern of armed robbery incidents in the state in the last few months.
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She said considering the pattern, armed robberies have been taking place in towns in the outskirts of the state and which are not highly manned, security-wise.
“Look at the pattern now. From Okuku, Ikire, Apomu, Iree and now Iragbiji. These people strike where there is little police presence and with an easy getaway route.”
The spokesperson of the Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola during a radio current affairs programme on Wednesday had stated that two inspectors lost their lives during the robbery.
She added that one was killed in front of the bank while the other lost his life while in pursuit of the fleeing armed robbers but that they could not carry away any money.
Metro5 days ago
