Iskilu Wakili, a Fulani herdsman notorious for terrorising communities in Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of Oyo State, has been arrested on Sunday, March 7.
He is reportedly known for seizing hectares of farmlands, molesting women of the host community, and kidnapping people for ransom.
Wakili’s arrest comes after Fulani herders were issued evacuation notice by popular Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo better known as Sunday Igboho back in January over the spate in kidnapping and killings in Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun regions.
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The Fulani herdsman was arrested today by a joint effort of men of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) vigilante, and other local security groups.
Speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, national OPC leader and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, confirmed the arrest, The Punch reports.
The arrest was carried out after several attempts resulting in a gun battle on Sunday morning.
Wakili and his gang had in time past been been fingered in various kidnappings and killings.
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Aderemi revealed that Wakili has been handed to police in Igbo Ora, Oyo State, saying;
I am happy that the notorious kidnapper had been captured alongside three others.
It is a good development and a positive signal to other criminal elements that the South-West is no longer an abode for bandits, kidnappers, and criminal herders.
He stressed;
I commend all the members of the joint security team that has made this possible because with the video at my disposal, it was purely a neat job.
With this development, I think the whole world will agree with me that the fight against insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry needs native intelligence, information gathering, and grassroots support from local securities and operatives.
As I have said earlier that the effort to rid the South-West of bandits and kidnappers was to complement the efforts of the police and in doing that, it is also very important for the police to support the local security operatives because they are always at the grassroots and they have their ears to the ground on local security matters.
Read Also: Yoruba Activist, Sunday Igboho Storms Ogun, Vows To Flush Out Killer Herdsmen
In reaction to the development, a socio-political group, Afenifere, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said it;
Gives tremendous commendation to OPC under Iba Gani Adams for the arrest of Iskilu Wakili, a Fulani bandit who has been spreading terror on our people in Igboho area and the Nigerian police and other security agencies unable to do anything about him.
We were not shocked but for the intervention by the leadership in Oyo state, the police would have gone after the OPC boys instead of taking the criminal from them and do the needful. Nigeria is going nowhere with a security network that shuns federalism.
