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Security: Makinde hosts Kwara gov, as states plan joint committee

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Governments of Oyo and Kwara States have agreed to set up a joint committee to address the challenges of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 13 villages of Kwara State, following skirmishes in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State recently.

The joint team is to work out modalities on how the two states could mutually address the situation and surmount security challenges within their territories and to also seek alignments and collaboration on economic and security fronts.

A statement by Mr. Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, indicated that the governors announced the position while briefing newsmen at the end of a closed-door security meeting held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan.

The meeting had in attendance Governor Makinde and his Kwara State counterpart, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, as well as service commanders from the two states, including the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General A.B. Omozoje, the Commissioners of Police of Oyo and Kwara states commands, among others.

Also in attendance at the meeting were major traditional rulers from Kwara as well as some members of the cabinet of both states.

Speaking shortly after the closed-door session, Makinde, who spoke on behalf of the two governors, appreciated the efforts of the security agencies in the two states, charging them to deepen their intelligence-gathering efforts with a view to dealing more decisively with the security challenges facing the country.

According to Governor Makinde, the meeting was necessitated by the urgent need to work together and to look at the security challenges in the states and come up with solutions, especially as it regarded movement of some residents of Oyo State into Kwara, following threats in parts of Ibarapa.

According to Makinde, the actions of non-state actors who tried to spread hatred, had led to a number of residents of the state moving into Kwara and constituting a challenge to the state, a situation which he said would be jointly addressed by the two states.

He explained that leaders in the country, most especially the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, must speak with one voice and be firm in dealing with the security challenges that the country is facing currently.
He said: “We had a joint security meeting. We appreciated the efforts of our security agencies and thanked them for the work they are doing in our country and we encouraged them to do more.

“We also acknowledged the fact that non-state actors are getting the upper hand in communicating and spreading hatred within our country. So, we asked that our leaders must speak with one voice, especially the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. We have to be firm and decisive in dealing with the security challenges we are currently faced with.

“We have also taken notice of the fact that our intelligence-gathering efforts have to be deepened. Considering some of the situations we have been faced with recently, we have had to react instead of being able to act before those things occur, due to some intelligence failure.”
Governor Makinde equally called on the traditional rulers in Oyo and Kwara States to come together and exchange information and ideas on how to surmount the security challenges.

He said: “Also, traditional rulers on both sides of the boundaries, between Oyo and Kwara States, will be encouraged to come together in unity and exchange information.

“In that manner, our intelligence agencies will be able to proactively deal with the situation rather than being reactive.”

The governor added that the meeting agreed that there was the need for a working relationship between the two states and that the states will announce the members of the joint team in a matter of days.

He stated: “We agreed that a more detailed working team is to be set up between Oyo and Kwara states. We know that the issues to be addressed have wider national ramifications.

“Yes, they asked somebody to leave Igangan and that has created issues in Kwara State, where Internally Displaced Persons are now spread over 13 villages and seven local government areas in the state, with its attendant challenges of maintenance of those individuals.

“We believe that the working team to be set up should be able to dispassionately look at those challenges and come up with solutions, which my brother-governor and I will be able to look at and solve.”
He also assured that Oyo State would take advantage of the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which, according to him, is already being implemented in Kwara State, with a view to further collaborating on the economic and security levels.

“Also, the National Livestock Transformation plan is currently not implemented in Oyo State but Kwara State has started its implementation over a year ago. So, we believe that there is lateral learning that Oyo State will be able to take advantage of and this should lead to further collaboration on the economic and security levels. So, that is what we have discussed so far.

“I believe in the days ahead, probably within the next couple of days, we should be able to disclose to the public the members of this working team between Oyo and Kwara States. And in the weeks ahead, we will also be taking recommendations from them for implementation.”

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Presidency to EFCC, DSS, Police: Expose insiders behind fake presidential agency

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The Presidency on Friday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to identify and prosecute officials who allegedly collaborated with Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew in operating the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, a body it described as non-existent.

It also accused the suspect of attempting to drag the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, into what it described as a criminal enterprise through a sustained smear campaign.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, disclosed this in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Friday.

According to Ajayi, investigations must go beyond Adeniyi to uncover those within government institutions who allegedly facilitated his activities.

He said, “What is not in doubt is that internal collaborators enabled Adeniyi to get this far. That is precisely what investigators from the DSS, the Police and the EFCC must now unravel.

“The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled, and everyone found to have played a role should be arrested and prosecuted.”

The presidential spokesman described Adeniyi as “an irredeemable con artist,” accusing him of exploiting public perception about corruption to divert attention from the allegations against him.

He said, “In Nigeria, the easiest and most believable allegation anyone can throw at a public officer is corruption. Once that accusation is thrown into the mix, the water is polluted, the lines are blurred, and everyone is kept busy arguing over distractions rather than the real issues.

“Matthew Adeniyi understands Nigerian public psychology, and he is exploiting it expertly to shield himself. He is an irredeemable con artist who is attempting to drag the name of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, into his criminal enterprise. The Chief of Staff is simply his last straw.”

Ajayi further alleged that investigators must establish how Adeniyi allegedly forged presidential appointment letters, operated 34 bank accounts in the names of fictitious government agencies, hosted foreign ambassadors and opened a Central Bank account while allegedly parading himself as the Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

He maintained that exposing those who aided the suspect was crucial to dismantling what he described as a criminal network operating within public institutions.

As of the time of filing this report, Adeniyi had yet to publicly respond to the latest allegations by the Presidency.

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Oseni distributes agric inputs to 7,000 farmers, says Tinubu deserves second term

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Thousands of farmers across Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State received a major boost on Monday as the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, distributed agrochemicals, farm tools and other agricultural inputs to no fewer than 7,000 beneficiaries.

The intervention, aimed at boosting food production and cushioning the impact of rising production costs on farmers, is the latest in a series of agricultural support initiatives facilitated by the federal lawmaker to strengthen farming activities across the constituency.

Before the latest distribution, Oseni had supplied no fewer than six trailers of fertiliser to farmers in Ibarapa East and Ido Local Government Areas to improve crop yields, enhance productivity and support increased agricultural output.

Speaking during the distribution programme held in Ibadan, the All Progressives Congress chieftain said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to tackling hunger, enhancing food security and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians through increased agricultural production.

‎According to him, the intervention is designed to encourage more people to embrace farming, expand cultivation and contribute meaningfully to national food production.

‎”About 7,000 people are benefiting from today’s empowerment programme. The essence is to continue encouraging farmers within the federal constituency by providing them with the necessary support to improve their productivity,” Oseni said.

‎He stressed that sustained investment in agriculture remained critical to addressing food shortages, reducing the cost of food and strengthening the nation’s economy, noting that agriculture continues to be one of the most viable pathways to sustainable economic growth and national development.

‎The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) explained that the earlier distribution of six trailers of fertiliser, the current supply of agricultural inputs and the rehabilitation of rural roads were all part of a comprehensive strategy to improve farming activities and ensure that farmers had the resources and infrastructure required to maximise production during the farming season.

‎He noted that improving access to quality farm inputs, alongside better rural road networks, would enable farmers to cultivate larger portions of land, transport their produce more easily and ultimately increase food availability across the country.

Oseni also expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure a second term in office in the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the economic reforms and policy decisions introduced by the Tinubu administration have laid a solid foundation for economic recovery, infrastructure development and improved governance, making the President the preferred choice of many Nigerians ahead of the next general election.

‎”No opposition can stop Nigerians from re-electing President Bola Tinubu. Nigerians need a God-fearing leader like him to continue the work of rebuilding the country.

‎”Since President Tinubu assumed office, fuel scarcity has become a thing of the past. States that previously struggled to pay workers’ salaries now do so more conveniently. Our tax system has been reformed, while road infrastructure and other development projects are expanding across the country,” he said.

‎The lawmaker further pledged to mobilise widespread grassroots support for the President through the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF), expressing confidence that the group would deliver one million votes for Tinubu in Oyo State during the 2027 presidential election.

‎He urged traditional rulers, community leaders, party faithful and other critical stakeholders to rally behind the President’s re-election bid, insisting that one term would not be sufficient to consolidate the reforms already initiated by the current administration.

Oseni also appealed to eligible Nigerians who were yet to register or collect their Permanent Voter Cards to do so ahead of the 2027 general election.

‎He encouraged citizens to participate actively in the electoral process and support President Tinubu and candidates of the All Progressives Congress, saying continued support for the administration would ensure the consolidation of ongoing reforms and accelerate national development.

Earlier in his remarks, the Onido of Ido, Oba Gbolagade Babalola, commended the lawmaker for the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would significantly support farmers and boost agricultural production in the constituency.

The monarch urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the farm inputs to maximise their productivity and improve their livelihoods.

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Ajimobi’s Legacy Still Guides Us, Oladele Urges Oyo APC Unity

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State and aspirant for the Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections, Hon. Bosun Oladele, has called on members of the party and the wider progressive family in the state to embrace unity in order to preserve and advance the legacy of the late former Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Oladele made the appeal on Thursday as political associates, loyalists and admirers marked the remembrance of the former governor, whose administration was widely associated with the popular slogan, “Koseleri.”

In a statement he personally issued,  the federal lawmaker hopeful described Ajimobi as a visionary leader whose passion for development transformed Oyo State and left an enduring footprint in its political history.

According to him, the annual remembrance of the late governor offers an opportunity for progressives to reflect on the ideals, discipline and commitment that defined Ajimobi’s leadership.

“It is that time of the year to remember the passion that once drove the developmental strides of the Pace Setter State, the centre of politics in Nigeria and a state renowned for many firsts,” Oladele said.

He noted that although the former governor had departed, his contributions to governance and public service remain fresh in the minds of many residents and party faithful.

“Oyo State still misses his sharp mind, problem-solving abilities, oratory prowess, focused leadership and developmental initiatives. His style of governance inspired confidence and demonstrated what purposeful leadership could achieve,” he stated.

Oladele stressed that Ajimobi’s legacy should continue to serve as a source of inspiration for members of the APC, urging them to close ranks and work towards a common goal.

“Even though he is gone, his legacy gives the progressive family in Oyo State hope that the future he envisioned for our dear state remains achievable through oneness and unity of purpose.

“I therefore call on all members of the APC and the progressive family at large to join hands, put aside differences and work together towards winning future elections as part of efforts to actualise the developmental aspirations our departed leader had for Oyo State,” he added.

The APC stalwart also prayed for the repose of Ajimobi’s soul and sought divine strength for his family, particularly his widow, Ambassador Florence Ajimobi, as she continues to shoulder public and private responsibilities.

He expressed optimism that Oyo State would once again witness progressive governance driven by visionary leadership, inclusiveness and a shared commitment to the welfare of the people.

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