The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Wednesday, alleged that armed terrorists had occupied Kishi, a community in Oyo State, and the vast Old Oyo National Park.
Adams, in a statement in Ibadan by his media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, said this posed a grave danger to the security of the entire Southwest.
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He said in the past few days, armed groups had kidnapped locals.
“I’ve received numerous reports from Kishi, North West of Oyo State.
“The reports range from ceaseless kidnapping, rape and threat to lives of Yoruba people in the Oke Ogun area with Kishi as the present hub of terrorist attacks.
“It’s my responsibility to alert the public and also the relevant authorities,” he said.
He said the southwest was gradually becoming a haven for bandits and terrorists masquerading as herdsmen.
Adams said the occupation of the land by armed groups was an assault on Yoruba heritage and civilization.
“I have confirmed intelligence reports that the historic Kishi town has been ravaged by terrorists.
“Killing and kidnapping of over a hundred people is frightening and worrisome,” he said.
When contacted for a reaction, the spokesman of the state police command, Olugbemiga Fadeyi, neither answered phone calls nor replied a text message by our correspondent.