Crime & Court
INSECURITY: Again Ajimobi calls for state police, modern technology
The Oyo State Governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, on Wednesday reiterated his advocacy for the introduction of state police to curb the pervading armed banditry and insecurity threatening the peace of the country.
The governor restated this position while playing host to he Assistant Inspector-General of police in charge of Zone 11, Mr Leye Oyebade, in his office, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.
Also, he urged the Federal Government to invest in cutting-edge technology that would aid reconnaissance and intelligence gathering in order to preempt crimes before being committed.
If established, Governor Ajimobi noted that the state police would have the benefit of good community relations, averring that increase in the funding of the police force and adequate provision of logistics would also boost the morale of the personnel.
According to him, “I am one of the pioneer advocates of state police. There is nowhere in the world where crime is effectively combated without state police. We refer to state governors as chief security officers, but we have no control over the commissioner of police.
“Some will argue that the governor will take undue advantage of a state police under his watch. But, do they consider the challenges of having only one person controlling the police in the 36 States and the federal capital.
“Until we do some structural adjustment to the policing system in Nigeria, we may not have the desired results. Having said that, generally Nigeria, and Oyo State in particular, still have security challenges.
“In order to ensure effective and more efficient policing, I opine that the police needs modern technology. Technology must help policing. Look at the developed countries, when a crime is committed, even before it happens the police would have been hinted.
“They have informants that are working very well. They have a communication system that is very effective and they have the public supporting them. How well are members of the public supporting the police here?”
The governor, however, urged the rank and file of the police to change the perception of the masses who did not see the police as their friends as the police would want them to believe.
Ajimobi said the police must go beyond mere sloganeering that they were friends of the people by exhibiting civility, cordiality and friendship in their relationship with members of the public.
In line with internationally established protocol, he said that the police must relate with suspects on the basis of being seen as innocent until they were proved guilty of an offence.
Nonetheless, the governor commended the police and other security agencies in the state, without whose support he said that his administration would not have succeeded in restoring peace and security to the state in the last eight years.
Oyebade, who was a former commissioner of police in the state before his elevation, said he was determined to ensure that the peace being enjoyed in the state, as well as in Osun and Ondo States under his supervision was not truncated.
Judging by the efforts of the present administration in the country and in Oyo State in particular, he said that the Southwest states had shed the toga of ‘’wild wild west’ for ‘wise wise west’.
The police chief told the governor that officers under the zone would benefit from training and retraining programmes, upgrade of police stations to divisional headquarters, as well as firing range training.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, over an alleged ₦70 billion fraud.
Jaja was apprehended in Abuja on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, alongside Aliyu Abubakar, an operator of Jasfad Resources Enterprise—an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC)—and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.
Their arrests form part of an ongoing EFCC investigation into allegations of money laundering, diversion of public funds, and misappropriation involving the staggering sum.
The Commission is also probing the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, in connection with the matter.
According to the EFCC, preliminary findings indicate that a total of ₦59 billion was withdrawn in cash through various bank accounts managed by the Accountant General on behalf of the state government. The funds were allegedly transferred to Abubakar and Sambo, who then made cash payments to political party agents and associates of the governor.
Notably, Abubakar, the BDC operator, had previously absconded while on bail but has now been rearrested.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrests, stating that investigations are ongoing to unravel the full extent of the financial misconduct.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a shipment of cocaine ingeniously concealed within prayer beads and locally made shoes, foiling an attempt to traffic the illicit substance.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, revealing that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the smuggling attempt.
Babafemi, who shared images of the seized contraband on X (formerly Twitter), condemned the act, especially in the holy month when religious devotion takes precedence.
“In this holy month, when people are consecrating themselves and making supplications to their God, some persons were preoccupied with concealing cocaine in prayer beads and locally made shoes to desecrate the precincts of the holy land in the holy month,” he stated.
He further noted that vigilant NDLEA operatives intercepted the illicit shipment, preventing the traffickers from executing their plan.
The anti-narcotics agency has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, especially methods that exploit religious items and sacred periods to evade detection.
As investigations continue, the NDLEA reaffirmed its commitment to curbing drug-related crimes and ensuring that traffickers face the full weight of the law.
Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 34-year-old church member in connection with the kidnapping of two Catholic priests.
The Command’s spokesman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Suleiman Yahaya-Nguroje, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Sunday. He revealed that the victims—Reverend Fathers Abraham Samman of the Catholic Diocese of Yola and Mathew David Dusam of the Jalingo Diocese—were rescued unharmed after police operatives stormed a criminal hideout.
According to Yahaya-Nguroje, the suspect was apprehended in Gweda Mallam village, a border community between Numan and Demsa Local Government Areas of Adamawa State. He was found with a locally fabricated gun, a mobile phone, and a SIM card. The kidnapped priests were discovered tied up at the location.
He noted that the operation was carried out following a tip-off, prompting officers to embark on a rescue mission across criminal hideouts in the state. The spokesman emphasized that no ransom was paid to secure the priests’ release.
“The success of this operation is a result of the renewed action plan introduced by the Commissioner of Police, CP Morris Dankwbo, which has strengthened efforts in tackling kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state,” Yahaya-Nguroje stated.
Following their rescue, the two priests were taken to a medical facility for treatment, while the suspect remains in police custody for further investigations and prosecution.
Expressing gratitude for the support received from the state government, security agencies, and members of the public, CP Dankwbo urged residents to remain vigilant and continue assisting law enforcement agencies in combating crime.
The Adamawa State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents, calling for sustained collaboration in the fight against criminal elements.
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