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Oyo : Makinde sets up task force to curb insecurity
Oyo state governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde has inaugurated the state’s Security Task Force to tackle all forms of insecurity within the state.
The governor, while inaugurating the Task Force on Monday inside his office at the Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, said that the committee will serve as the war room to tackle insecurity in the state.
He also stated that members of the committee have been carefully selected to provide quality service to the people of the state.
The governor’s mouthpiece, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, in a statement informed that members of the Task Force, which is chaired by Governor Makinde, include the Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Bayo Lawal; Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun; Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Barr. Adeniyi Farinto and the commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Funmilayo Orisadeyi.
Other members of the Task Force are: the Special Adviser to the governor on Security; CP Fatai Owoseni (Rtd), Executive Assistant on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (Rtd), DG Operation Burst, Col. Oladipo Ajibola (Rtd) and the Commander of the Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun.
The secretary of the Task Force is the Director, Special Services, Mr. Olayinka Jimoh.
“You are welcome to the war room created by the government of Oyo State. This became imperative because of the challenges that we are apparently facing, security-wise. At the exco meeting of last Tuesday, we set up a State Security Task Force.
“I will be chairing the Task Force. This is our inaugural meeting and it is similar to the Task Force we set up when COVID-19 just broke out. We are supposed to be on top of the security situation almost on a daily basis, so the scheduled meetings for this Task Force will hold on a weekly basis and you should expect to be briefed once we are done with our weekly meeting.
“We also hope that we can call an emergency meeting anytime depending on the security situation. The members have been carefully selected. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, for instance, is supposed to be our link with our traditional institutions and with the local government areas, stakeholders at the local government levels.
“We want to take this opportunity to ask for support from our people, from the traditional institution to our political stakeholders and also the different ethnic nationalities that are residents of Oyo State. We do not support ethnic profiling.
“We are looking for criminals and we know that if we are not careful, what goes around will come around.
“We have been hearing about the kidnapping of school children and their teachers and we do not want that to happen in Oyo State. So, we are seeking for every support that we can get”, Governor Makinde added.
Similarly, the Special Adviser on security, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), who briefed newsmen alongside the Chief of Staff and the Commissioner for Information, said: “At the conclusion of the first meeting of the Security War Room Task Force convoked by His Excellency, Governor Makinde, certain decisions were made.
“Firstly, it is important to state that at no point do we want to, by action or omission, supplant the activities of the security agencies in the state as they operate. We want to work in a way that is complementary to whatever it is they do.
“Secondly, we do intend to identify the various communities, contacts, and markets in our states in order that we can enumerate who is where and who we need to contact.
“Thirdly, the Governor also stated that there is a need to have a meeting with all our traditional rulers within the week because all security matters without them will probably come to naught.
“We explored the issue of voluntary policing, in which we can bring in all other, or particularly, the non-state actors to join hands in what is a complete and total architecture.
“The issue of our entry points and our state is being regarded as being a bit porous, we reckoned that there will be checkpoints at the major entry and exit points of the state, and that will be integrated into the state control room and general state security architecture.
“We intend to further regulate commercial motorcycle riders in the state so as to know who they are, what they are doing from time to time. We will do that after a meeting with them. We will have another meeting same time next week”, he concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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