By John Dike, Osogbo
A massive crackdown on political violence will begin any moment from now as the state government has launched an offensive against such disturbance.
Specifically, Governor Ademola Adeleke, who has expressed deep concern over the rising political violence in parts of the state, has directed the state police boss to immediately clamp down on politically motivated attacks.
The governor who was particularly disturbed by the recent killings reported in Ijeshaland, issued the directive during a security meeting held in Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday.
Adeleke,who was represented at the meeting by his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, appealed to political actors to embrace peace and respect the will of the people.
He condemned the latest outbreak of violence in Ilesa and warned strongly against thuggery and bloodshed.
His words, “If truly our goal is to serve the people, we must focus on the ballot and allow free, fair choices by our citizens. I urge the Commissioner of Police to secure the affected areas and stop further killings.”
Meanwhile, the state government has finalised arrangements to establish mobile courts to be manned by eight magistrates.
The new courts, created through renewed collaboration between the executive and judicial arms of government, will handle overnight criminal cases, preliminary remand proceedings and other matters aimed at decongesting detention facilities across the state.
The initiative followed a letter from the Governor’s Legal Adviser, Nurudeen Kareem, Esq., to the state’s Chief Judge, requesting the establishment of mobile courts to address overcrowding in detention centres operated by law enforcement agencies.
Adeleke explained that the intervention is intended to prevent human rights violations, mitigate security risks associated with congested cells and ensure adherence to basic criminal justice procedures while efforts continue to resolve the ongoing judicial workers’ strike.
The Chief Judge has reportedly responded positively, paving the way for the swift commencement of the mobile courts.
