By Demola Akinyemi

Ilorin—Scores of angry youths in Kajola village of Igbaja community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have taken to the streets, protesting the killing of the commandant of a local vigilante group.

The vigilante commandant, Chief Lukman Balogun, who was a thorn in the flesh of kidnappers in the environment was until his death Monday evening, a traditional ruler, holding the title of Jagun of Elese Igbajaland.

Meanwhile, the monarch of the community, Oba Ahmed Babalola, Arepo III has charged the protesters to be calm, describing Jagun’s death as a big blow to Igbajaland.

He assured the youths that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be apprehended and brought to book.
Vanguard gathered that the youths, who have been threatening to pull the community down, accused Bororo cattle herders of perpetrating the heinous crime.

The aggrieved youths consequently took to the streets when the news of another kidnap of three people in the same area filtered into the community.

It was further gathered that the deceased was among the team on the trail of some kidnappers, who had earlier abducted three prominent residents before he was reportedly killed.

“It was at Ogele-Yaaru road that our Balogun was killed,” a source hinted on the phone.

Chairman of the state’s Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, Afolabi Lukman described the late security stalwart as a thorn in the flesh of criminals.

“He had in no small means assisted the Police in checking crimes and criminals in Igbajaland,” Afolabi said.
He urged the state government to strengthen the security frontiers, saying “This is a great setback on the state’s security architecture. “

Also, the Chairman of Ifelodun council, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Femi, who led a delegation to the area, commiserated with the community on the death of Jagun and assured that all hands were on deck to track down the killers.

Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi to react to the incident at press time proved abortive as several phone calls to her were neither picked up nor returned.
Meanwhile, security personnel including the Army, Department of State Service and the police were said to have been mobilised to the community.