Baale Ahoro-Esinele denies soldiers’ brutality

Baale Ahoro-Esinele denies soldiers’ brutality

Khalid ABRAHAM

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The traditional ruler of Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire local government area of Ogbomoso zone, Oyo state, High Chief Tajudeen Abioye, has debunked the allegation that soldiers posted to the community to maintain security are behaving like an army of occupation.

ogbomosoinsightonline.com received a distress call from travelers along the route that the soldiers, who were stationed in the community following the abduction saga of teachers and students/pupils in May this year, are harassing and brutalizing travelers and committing other atrocities.

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A commercial motorcyclist who said he used to take passengers to that axis, (but who did not give his name), informed, “If you pass through the area on motorcycle or vehicle, you would be stopped by the soldiers, handed cutlass and be forced to cut bushes. That is why I stopped taking passengers beyond Yawota.”

A resident likewise said, “The soldiers are capturing and killing our domestic animals like goat and cockerels and eating them, it is unbearable.”

However, in a chat with the Baale, he denied the allegation, taking time to explain what actually transpired which though bore some resemblance.

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“No, there was nothing like brutality,” High Chief Abioye began. “After the kidnap incident, and everybody fled the village, I was the only one and a few others remaining. When the soldiers were deployed here, I got them the goats and cockerels to augment their feeding. And since normalcy returned, that has stopped.

“Then, presently, there is going to be a permanent army base here, according to what we were told. Thus, we gave them large expanse of land for the purpose, so they started to clear the site, that was when they stopped people to help in clearing the forest. But the soldiers were also involved in the cutting, they picked cutlasses to engage in the activity too, they indeed did the largest volume of the work, so, it is not brutality but sacrifices imposed on everybody for development and security agenda. The armed forces’ men have been well-behaved; we have no problem with them.”

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The soldiers are currently occupying part of the Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele as their temporary barracks, Ogbomoso Insight Online confirms from the teachers of the school, while also refuting the allegation of brutality.

Meanwhile, at Ikoyi, headquarters of Oriire local government, Ogbomoso Insight Online also found an evolving army base. The soldiers currently have taken over the council secretariat. Only essential activities now take place in the running of the council; thus, many workers stay away from work.

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