By Gabriel Dike

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Worried by the non release of the abducted Lagos monarch, Oba Goriola Oseni and the silence of the Lagos state government and the police authority, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Lagos State University (LASU), chapter has given the state government and the security personnel 24 hours to secure his release.
The union also expressed concerned over the worsening insecurity in the 24 communities in Iba, Ojo Badagry and other areas and called on the government and the Lagos State Police Command to beef up security around the waterways.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday after an emergency congress of SSANU, the Secretary of the union, Mr. Awoyemi Bola, decried the continuous silence of the state government and state police command 13 days after Oba Oseni was kidnapped in his palace.
Giving reasons for SSANU’s reaction to the monarch abduction, Bola explained that Iba is the host community of LASU and some of his members reside in the area thus the union can not remain silence in the face of the security situation.
According to him, the hoodlums have before and after the abduction of the Lagos first class monarch kidnapped several persons in the community and neighbouring ones and cited the Tuesday invasion of three communities in Igando areas, abduction of a woman and her daughter as well as a prominent businessman in the same area.
‘’Our resolution at the congress is that Oba Oseni must be returned to his palace unharmed. Whatever the state government and the police authority must do to rescue him within 24 hours, must be done immediately without further delay. The state government and police silence on the issue is worrisome, Bola stressed.’’
He recalled the role the Ondo state government played when Chief Olu Falae and a prominent monarch were abducted adding the Lagos state government silence is suspicious. It is 13 days now since Oba Oseni was abducted with government and police inaction.
His words: “We want to say that it is the responsibility of the state government to provide security for all, therefore government should be held responsible for Oniba’s kidnap as well as the incessant kidnapping and other atrocities within Iba, Ojo and Badagry areas.
“All SSANU is interested is that Oniba must be rescued unhurt within 24 hours. The Lagos government should remember that the man is 73 years old and keeping him with his abductors could further deteriorate the state of his health.”
The scribe said that as a union in the ivory tower that is located in Iba, SSANU has the right to draw the attention of authority to deteriorating security situation in the areas, stressing that as things currently were, kidnappers and other anti social elements are cashing in on the loose security in the Iba and its environs to further unleash havoc in the communities.