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Makinde unveils details of state security architecture

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The  Seyi Makinde led administration in Oyo state has unveiled details of the state’s security architecture, disclosing that the state was ready to launch the Oyo State Development Association for Socio-Economic Renaissance (OYODASER) and the state’s Vigilante Services.

Governor Makinde, who was speaking during a courtesy visit to his office by the Vigilante and Community Development Council (CDC), said the state was working round the clock to nip insecurity in the bud.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, in a statement quoted the Governor as saying that the state security architecture is also linked to the emerging South-West security structure codenamed Operation Amotekun.

He said that Governors of the zone would soon launch the Operation to complement internal security in the states.

The governor maintained that his government was ready to partner with the Vigilante and Community Development Council (CDC) to find lasting solution to internal security challenges in the state.

“Before the end of this year, I will launch the Oyo State Development Association for Socio-Economic Renaissance (OYODASER), and it will be a vehicle that we will use to make our people believe in this administration and the state. This vision shall be translated into reality.

“We want to have OYODASER and apart from this, we will have what the South-West-wide initiative known as AMOTEKUN, with operatives known as IRUNMOLE. But it is clear that the government cannot do it alone when it comes to the issue of security. We need to work together.

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“Maybe in the past, some promises were made and not fulfilled. That was in the past. This administration will not tread on that path. We will make sure we do whatever we say.

“We want to ensure that the activities of the Vigilante and Community Development Council (CDC) are strong and more effective. I have seen the work you have been doing for us as an organisation.

“Actually, before now, I have been looking for the avenue through which we can meet, because my idea of moving the state forward involves mass mobilisation. It involves rallying our people to support the government’s effort. And I know that your organisation, Community Development Council is in the best position to carry that out.

“About two years ago, I went to commission a bore-hole which CDC gave to that particular community. There is no inch of land in Oyo State that you don’t have your representatives. So, if we want government’s effort to be felt by the people of the state, it is achievable with your cooperation and that is the reason I have been looking for how we can meet,” Governor Makinde said.

He added that he has his counterparts in the South-West have met several times and agreed to launch the new unconventional security architecture that will not conflict with the Federal Government’s security structures such as the police and other security agencies, in order to curb the menace of insecurity across the length and breadth of South-West Nigeria.

The governor added: “Recently, all the Governors in the South-West came together and held a summit because of the security challenge. We agreed to look at security from an unconventional perspective. We tried to look at where Vigilante groups and those who have local knowledge can help us.

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“On the security side, with the South-West, we have formed an outfit called Amotekun. We have purchased vehicles and needed gadgets including motorcycles, because we realised that we need to police our environment. And it is our people who have the knowledge of the local environment that will be engaged to carry out some certain operations. Meanwhile, this is not in conflict with the work of the police at the federal level. The two programmes I have talked about have enormous impact as far as the security of this state is concerned.”

Governor Makinde further reiterated the commitment of his administration towards the four key pillars of his administration, which are Security, Health, Education and Economic Expansion, noting, however, that “security is not what one person can handle. Before a crime will be committed, we want to know through you. We want you to alert us. So, we want you to partner the government on this.”

The governor also called the CDC to assist the state in its bid to make all the nooks and crannies of the State clean, save and habitable by joining hands with government to have zero tolerance for poor sanitation.

Earlier in his address, the chairman of the Oyo State Community Development Council, Alhaji Hameed Shittu, said the Council and the State Vigilante Groups were meant to complement the efforts of the Law Enforcement Agencies in promoting the security of lives and property in the communities as well as assisting in curbing and reducing incidences of crimes to its barest minimum.

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He added that the Council was also established to promote communal spirit and sense of belonging among the people by creating an atmosphere of friendliness, which would engender cooperation of all the people not only in the Community Development Schemes but also in the programmes and policies of the state government.

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Kidnappers Must Be Treated As Terrorists – Tinubu Declares

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In a stern address at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary, President Bola Tinubu declared that individuals involved in despicable crimes such as kidnapping must be treated as terrorists.

The President, speaking passionately, reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to defeating banditry, labeling those who engage in kidnapping as cowards incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“We must treat kidnappers as terrorists,” President Tinubu asserted, as reported by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale. “They are cowardly. They have been degraded. They look for soft targets. They go to schools and kidnap children and cause disaffection. We must treat them equally as terrorists in order to get rid of them, and I promise you we will get rid of them.”

The President made these remarks during the dinner attended by serving and retired judicial officers, including notable figures such as former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, and Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The event provided a platform for discussions on various issues, including the escalating security challenges faced by Nigeria, particularly in the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones.

Nigeria has grappled with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and oil theft, with the aforementioned regions experiencing a surge in insurgent and bandit attacks over the last decade.

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President Tinubu’s government has remained steadfast in its stance of not negotiating with bandits, despite the continued abduction of schoolchildren and residents for ransom.

The recent mass abduction of 137 schoolchildren from Kuriga in Kaduna State serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing security threats.

The President also addressed the need for judicial reforms and improved welfare for judicial officers.

Recognising the challenges faced by the judiciary, President Tinubu pledged to implement necessary reforms to enhance the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers. He emphasised the importance of fair compensation and support for the judiciary, acknowledging their pivotal role in upholding the respectability of the judicial arm of government.

In response, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, commended President Tinubu for his commitment to judicial reforms and for hosting the Ramadan dinner in honour of judicial officers.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also expressed gratitude to the President for forwarding the executive bill aimed at addressing the stagnant state of judges’ salaries and allowances since 2007.

President Tinubu’s declaration underscores the government’s resolve to combat insecurity and hold perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable.

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Abiodun Unveils 50% Discount Rice Scheme to Aid Ogun Residents

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said that his administration will commence the sale of rice at half the market price across the state to alleviate the prevailing economic challenges in the country..

Addressing attendees at a special Iftar organised for the League of Imams and Alfas in Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun emphasised the importance of alleviating the economic burden on the public, particularly civil servants.

He stated, “We have decided to commence the sale of rice. We will be selling it at the rate of 50% of the actual price.”

Highlighting the significance of restoring the purchasing power of public servants, the governor affirmed that the initiative aims to counter the impact of inflation.

He asserted, “What we are trying to do is put them in the position they were before the inflation.”

The governor disclosed the establishment of a committee to oversee the distribution of rice to residents, ensuring transparency and accessibility.

He emphasised the sustainability of the programme, stating, “If we sell at the price it was sold before it becomes expensive, it will allow us to use the money to buy more and continue to sell.”

Also, the governor pledged free rice distribution to the less privileged segments of society, including the poor, elderly, and vulnerable individuals.

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Encouraging Muslims to uphold virtuous behavior beyond the fasting period, Governor Abiodun urged continuous prayers for the well-being of the state and the nation.

He reiterated his commitment to constructing a modern secretariat for the League of Imams and Alfas, promising a landmark facility that would set a standard for other states.

In recognition of his efforts towards peace and empowerment, Governor Abiodun was honoured with the title of Ambassador of Peace in Islam during the event.

Attendees also offered special prayers for the upcoming 72nd birthday celebration of President Bola Tinubu, scheduled for March 29th.

Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi, the Secretary of the League of Imams and Alfas, commended Governor Abiodun for his dedication to empowering Muslim youths and fostering goodwill within the community.

 

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Makinde’s Ibadan Circular Road Project, A Monumental Fraud – Says Oyo APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has cried out over alleged monumental fraud which the party claimed it discovered in the partial execution of the Ibadan Circular Road Project, warning the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde that the unabated corruption being perpetrated by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) could plunge the state into irredeemable doom in the nearest future.

At the commissioning ceremony which took place at Badeku Junction on Ife-Ibadan Express Road last Friday, Governor Makinde announced that the Ibadan Circular Road Project which, according to him, was the largest investment in Oyo state in 50 years had cost a whooping sum of N300billion.

Anambra state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, was the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

In a reaction which was contained in a statement issued today and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC queried the governor on the rationale behind the government’s redesign of the road project to occupy 425 meters as setbacks in both sides when the standard measure for any Trunk ‘A’ road does not exceed 60 meters across the globe.

“So, the ongoing indiscriminate demolition of properties of poor citizens is to serve the interest of the governor and his cronies”.

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“Many questions are begging for answers as far as this matter is concerned; how did Governor Makinde spend N300billion on less than a quarter of the whole project when his predecessor, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, had awarded the contract for its design, construction, and completion as well as payment of compensation to those who might lose their properties to construction activities at a total cost of N70billion in June 2017 while the contractor had done about 20 percent of the work before he was sent away when the PDP government came on board in 2019?

“In July 2021, Governor Makinde announced that he had re-awarded the same project to another contractor at a total sum of N138.2billion but last Friday when a stretch representing about a quarter of the whole project was being commissioned (for suspended use by the public), the governor claimed the completed portion had gulped N300billion. The entire circular road project was designed to cover 110 kilometers and the whole world wants to know the fraction which has now cost N300billion to be done and also, how much the remaining three quarters would cost.

“Meanwhile, tongues would continue to wag on the issue of the large expanse of land forcefully acquired from the owners in the name of road construction. The fact remains that the people of the state cannot trust a government that is popular for land fraud as is the case in Ajia, Wofun, Bashorun, Bodija, and Land Lagos Express Road among others in the last four years. Those hapless landowners are accusing Governor Makinde of a surreptitious plan to seize their land and later sell it to some strangers from the East.

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“Another issue of concern is that of the supposed Agodi-Gate Junction Improvement project which has been identified as another conduit to siphon the resources of the state. All the state is doing is evacuating roadside traders, clearing some blocked drainages, laying light asphalt, and installing traffic lights, then later claiming several billions of naira as the cost of the exaggerated repair works on the popular junctions at Ibadan Civic Centre and Agodi-Gate.

“The sad thing is that the proceeds of these inflated contacts end up in private pockets without any trace. This kind of funds is what some governors in other states are using to rejig agriculture, fix the education sector, and address hardship among the masses among other things in their domains. Public primary and secondary schools are in dire need of subject teachers, virtually all the inner and access roads are in bad shape, no public tap water anywhere in the state, the population of the poor increases every day, and yet, Gov. Makinde mis-appropriates scarce resources to the detriment of the welfare of the people. This has to stop.” APC said.

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