LG poll: Oyo State Governor laments killing of teenage girl

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Saturday condemned the resurgence of the cult war in Idi-Oro and Ayeye areas of Ibadan North West Local Government Area which claimed the life of a teenage girl on Saturday.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the Governor, Mr Bolaji Tunji, said the governor was pained by the disturbing news, especially coming on the heels of the conduct of the state’s first local government election in 11 years.

The governor, the statement said, condoled with the family of the victim and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

Ajimobi said: “From the intelligence reports at my disposal, the perpetrators of this heinous and condemnable crime were the recalcitrant cultists engaging in supremacy battle in Idi Oro and Ayeye areas of Ibadan who are yet to embrace our peace initiative.

“That they chose to disturb the peace of the neighbourhood on the day Oyo had a very peaceful LG election across the state is regrettable.

“ I was told that elections took place successfully in the polling booth closest to the scene of the incident without any hitch before the cultists struck.

“I want to use this opportunity to condole with the family of the victim for the irredeemable loss. Let me again warn that those bent on scuttling the peace that we have enthroned across the state in the last seven years will live to regret their action.

“I have directed the security agents to ensure that they fish out the perpetrators of the crime and ensure that they are brought to justice. I want to appeal to the good people of Oyo State to join hands with the government to sustain our hard earned peace.”

Meanwhile, Ajimobi has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the council election across the state, saying he was highly impressed with the turnout of voters.

The governor cast his vote at 12:07 pm in company with his wife, Florence, at Ward 09, Unit 20, Community Grammar School, Oluyole, Ibadan.

He said that reports reaching him from 33 local governments and35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state indicated that the exercise was peaceful, orderly, free and fair.

The governor expressed confidence that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), would win in all the local governments and LCDAs in the state due to the outstanding performance of his administration in the last seven years.

Ajimobi said that his administration had enthroned peace and security since its inception, thus erasing the typecast of Oyo as a state of brigandage and violence.

He also expressed happiness that in spite of the several failed attempts at conducting the council elections occasioned by some legal encumbrances, the exercise eventually held in a peaceful atmosphere.