The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has expressed rude
shock over Friday night’s gruesome murder of a member of the State House
of Assembly representing Orelope Constituency, Honorable Gideon Aremu,
at his Alakia residence in Ibadan. A statement by the governor’s Special
Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Yomi Layinka, described the death
of the lawmaker in the hands of suspected assassins at a relatively
young age as not only tragic but condemnable.As soon as news of the sad incident filtered through
to the governor last night, he said that Ajimobi immediately got into
contact with heads of all relevant security agencies including the
police, Department of State Services, and the army to ensure that the
masterminds were apprehended.
The governor vowed to ensure that those remotely and directly connected
with the heinous crime were made to face the full weight of the judicial
consequences of such sins against humanity.
Ajimobi said that the security chiefs had consequently thrown their
dragnets wide open to arrest and prosecute all the antisocial elements
who connived to snuff out the promising life of such a compatriot and
public officer.
The governor appealed to members of the public to volunteer information
to security agencies about suspicious movements within their communities
to aid investigation and prompt arrest of those behind the dastardly
act.
“I commiserate with the wife, children and family of Honorable Gideon
Aremu who was a ranking member of the Oyo State House of Assembly. May
the Almighty repose the soul of this gentleman and committed patriot.
I want to assure the family and all the people of Oorelope State
Constituency that justice will not only be done, but will be seen to be
done swiftly and thoroughly to reassure citizens of Oyo State of our
devotion to the protection of lives and property.
I want to reiterate our administration’s commitment to sustaining the
hard-won peace and security that the people of Oyo State currently enjoy
and let me again warn individuals and groups not to test our resolve in
this direction.”
As the Chief Security Officer of the state, the governor was said to
have indicated personal interest in getting to the bottom of the plot as
well as in ensuring appropriate sanctions for the plotters and
executors of the murder, no matter how highly placed. Ajimobi enjoined
citizens of the state to be vigilant and report any suspected criminal
and movements to the nearest security agency around them.