The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has questioned the whereabouts and functionality of the surveillance aircraft recently acquired by the state government following Sunday’s attack on an Operation Burst base along the Igbeti-Igboho Road.

The party said the attack, which lasted for more than an hour, raised questions about the deployment of the aircraft, particularly as the incident occurred in the same axis where the government reportedly said the security equipment had been deployed.

The suspected bandits reportedly attacked the Operation Burst base in Oorelope Local Government Area, carting away some items and setting fire to the security post and a vehicle.

No casualty was recorded in the attack.
Operation Burst is a joint security outfit comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

In a statement yesterday, the APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the incident as a matter of concern and challenged Governor Seyi Makinde to explain the status of the surveillance aircraft.

Sadare said it was ironic that the attackers could operate for more than one hour in an area where the government had reportedly located the base station for the aircraft.

“Just yesterday, the security of the entire Pacesetter State was shaken to its roots when insurgents unleashed terror on the Operation Burst Base located along Igbeti-Igboho Road in Oorelope Local Government Area of the state.

“At the end of the over one-hour operation, the gunmen carted away some important items and set ablaze the security post and a vehicle. Thankfully, no casualty was recorded during the attack,” he said.

The opposition party recalled the state government’s announcement last month that it had received and deployed two aircraft for security surveillance.

According to Sadare, the prolonged attack should prompt the government to explain whether the aircraft were operational and being effectively deployed to monitor vulnerable areas.

“Since the day Governor Makinde celebrated the purported delivery of the two aircraft, nothing has either been heard or felt about their deployment to survey the airspace in the state,” he said.

He added: “Sadly, Igbeti, where the base station for the aircraft was reportedly situated, came under heavy attack for more than an hour and there was no surveillance aircraft to track the attackers and possibly repel them.

“Therefore, it is safe to say that the whole story about security surveillance aircraft is another question begging for answers.”

Sadare also criticised what he described as the huge resources committed to the acquisition of the surveillance aircraft, alleging that the reported N7.8 billion expenditure could have been deployed to other security technologies and facilities.

He further challenged Makinde to account for the increased revenue accruing to the state, rather than concentrating on criticism of the economic policies of the Federal Government.

“On many occasions, Governor Makinde has said that the removal of fuel subsidy and flotation of the naira by the Tinubu administration were designed to punish Nigerians and enrich the governors.

“Going by his claims, he has been enriched tremendously as a serving governor, but the fundamental question is what he has done to transform the life of the common man in Oyo State in the last seven years,” he said.

The APC spokesman alleged that the state government had failed to make adequate use of its resources to address pressing challenges facing residents.

“It is apparent that Governor Makinde has failed to utilise the humongous revenues to transform the state as he continues to waste taxpayers’ money on inanities and cosmetic projects,” Sadare alleged.

The party urged the state government to clarify the operational status of the surveillance aircraft and strengthen security measures in vulnerable communities across the state, particularly in the wake of the latest attack.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Hon. Osuolale Niyi Yusuf, has promised to sustain quality representation and development in the constituency if elected.

Osuolale made the promise on Saturday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital while speaking with journalists on his ambition and his plans for the constituency.

The former Education Secretary and councillor said his focus would be on effective legislation, people-oriented representation and the facilitation of projects that would address the immediate needs of the people.

According to him,  representation should not be limited to attending legislative sessions, but must also involve listening to the people, understanding their challenges and ensuring that their concerns receive attention at the appropriate level.

The APC chieftain said people of Ibarapa East/Ido need a representative who would remain close to them and continue to engage with them after elections as it is presently witnessed.

“I want to assure the people of Ibarapa East/Ido that if given the opportunity, I will give them quality and effective representation. My interest is to represent the people well and ensure that projects and interventions are directed towards areas where they are most needed,” he said.

Osuolale also acknowledged the work of the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, saying that his performance had created a standard that any successor would have to respect.

“Hon. Aderemi Oseni has set a standard that must not be lowered. Whoever is coming after him must be prepared to sustain the quality of representation and, where possible, improve on it,” he said.

The APC candidate said his experience in public service had given him an understanding of the importance of consultation and accountability in governance, stressing that he would make the people central to his legislative activities.

He identified education, infrastructure, youth development, women empowerment , health care services among others as areas that deserved continued attention, adding that he would work with community leaders and other stakeholders to attract meaningful development to Ibarapa East/Ido.

Osuolale therefore appealed to the people of the constituency to support his aspiration, promising that, if elected, he would regard the mandate as a responsibility to serve rather than an opportunity for personal gain.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has appointed three experienced journalists and communication professionals as directors in his campaign media and publicity team ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The appointees are the former South-West Bureau Chief of The Nation, Bisi Oladele, who was named Director of Media and Publicity; a former Chief Press Secretary to the late Oyo State Governor, Lam Adesina, Kehinde Olaosebikan, as Director of Strategic Communication; and a former Special Adviser to the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Communication and Strategy, Bolaji Tunji, as Director of Public Affairs.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Media Consultant to Alli, Dare Adekanmbi, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

Also appointed to the team are the immediate past Chairman of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ademola Babalola, as Deputy Director, while the Oyo State APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, will serve as Secretary.

Oladele, a multimedia journalist and communication strategist, has over 25 years of experience in journalism and public relations.

He was until his latest appointment the Executive Editor of Newspeak Media and Chairman of the South-West Guild of Online Publishers.

Oladele holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (English) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a Master’s degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He is also concluding a PhD programme in Political Communication at Lead City University, Ibadan.

He is expected to work with other communication professionals, including Ayotunde Olude, to drive the campaign’s media, publicity and strategic communication activities.

Olaosebikan, a veteran journalist and media practitioner, served as Chief Press Secretary to the late Governor Lam Adesina and brings considerable experience in government media relations and strategic communication to the campaign.

Tunji, also a journalist and communication practitioner, served as Special Adviser to the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Communication and Strategy.

According to the statement, the appointments were made to strengthen the campaign’s media visibility, strategic communication, public engagement and information management ahead of the 2027 general election.