Enimere Àkànbí
The Oyo State Government has assured residents that it will leave no stone unturned to ensure safety of everyone in the state.
The assurance came against backdrop of news that some bandits from the northern parts of the country were infiltrating the state.
The government, during a press briefing after the state’s Joint Security Council meeting presided over by Governor ‘Seyi Makinde on Tuesday, said all hands were on deck to fish out the bandits and use the instrumentality of law to deal with them.
Special Adviser to the Governor, on Security, Compol Fatai Owoseni (Rtd), while briefing the media on the resolution of the Security Council, urged people to go about their lawful activities without fear, assuring them that the state government would pull out all the stops to secure life of everyone in the state.
Owoseni, said that with the robust synergy among security agencies in the state, the bandits and other criminal elements had nowhere to hide.
He also stated that Oyo was collaborating with neighbouring states to secure its borders and guard against influx of bandits.
The SA noted that to strengthen the security network, the Council would hold expanded meetings that would incorporate local government chairmen as well as traditional rulers.
Owoseni further said, “The essence of this is to ensure that we take security to the grassroots. The local government administration is the third tier of government and is the closest to the people. In the same vein, traditional rulers are close to the people and know most people in their domains. By integrating them into the security network, we are taking security to the grassroots and carrying everyone along. Security is everybody’s business and we all have a role to play in ensuring that our state is safe from the antics of bandits and other criminal elements”.
He said that the Council also discussed issue of decongesting correctional centres, adding that the state would invoke its power of prerogative of mercy to set free some of the inmates.
Similarly, the Council discussed issue of the health and wellbeing of inmates of correctional centres with a recommendation that they should be enrolled on the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme to ensure that they have access to good healthcare.
“A decision on the health insurance scheme for correctional centre inmates would be taken at one of the subsequent Council meetings” Owoseni said.
Others present at the briefing were Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Mr Abiodun Aikomo; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Ayodele Sonubi; the Comptroller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, CC Jaiyeoba Babafemi and the Comptroller Immigration Services, Oyo State Command, Joseph Dada.
Signed
Sulaimon Olanrewaju
Special Adviser (Media) to Oyo State Governor
January 14, 2025
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