The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday handed over 100 operational vehicles to security agencies in the state to strengthen patrols, improve response to distress calls and support the eventual take-off of the state police.

The vehicles were presented to the heads of the various security agencies at a ceremony held at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House Grounds, Ado-Ekiti.

Oyebanji said the intervention was part of his administration’s sustained efforts to strengthen the state’s security architecture and protect the lives and property of residents.

According to him, the vehicles are expected to enhance the mobility of security personnel, increase visibility across communities and improve their ability to respond swiftly to emergencies.

The governor said the latest intervention was coming about two years after his administration distributed patrol vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carriers, bulletproof vests, helmets and other security equipment to security agencies in the state.

He said, “Lined up here are 100 units of security vehicles, primarily for operations and mobility of your personnel and the eventual take-off of the state police outfit.”

Oyebanji added that the state government would continue to provide financial and logistical support to security agencies, including its regular monthly assistance and efforts to strengthen state-owned security institutions.

The governor charged the security agencies to make effective use of the vehicles, warning against poor maintenance and unprofessional conduct.

He said the additional vehicles should translate into more frequent patrols, greater security presence, faster response to distress calls and improved operational efficiency.

Oyebanji also urged security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and make better use of surveillance technology available in the state.

He stressed the need for closer cooperation among the agencies, saying no security formation could effectively tackle emerging threats by operating in isolation.

The governor said the security agencies must remain vigilant as the state moves into a period of increased political activities and preparations for the 2027 elections.

“As we move towards our inauguration ceremony next month and elections in another four months to come, all hands must be on deck to ensure that Ekiti State continues to remain safe and secure,” he said.

Oyebanji commended the security agencies for their sacrifices and collaboration, which he said had contributed to the peace being enjoyed in the state.

He said his administration remained committed to ensuring that Ekiti retained its reputation as one of the country’s safest states.

The governor also called on residents to continue supporting security agencies by providing useful information and cooperating with them to safeguard their communities.

Oyo South Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and  lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her 66th birthday, describing her as a woman whose years in public service have been defined by compassion and commitment to the Nigerian people.

Oseni, in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, on Monday and made available to journalists said the birthday was an opportunity to recognise the First Lady’s contribution to public life and her efforts to improve the lives of women, children and other vulnerable Nigerians.

The lawmaker said Tinubu’s experience in public service, spanning her years as First Lady of Lagos State, her tenure in the Senate and her present role as First Lady of Nigeria, had placed her in a position to understand the needs of people at different levels of society.

He noted that the demands of public office went beyond occupying a position, stressing that the real test was the ability to use such a position to make a difference in the lives of the people.

The APC chieftain said this was particularly important in Nigeria, where the challenges confronting families and communities required leaders to remain close to the people and responsive to their needs.

“Today is more than a celebration of age. It is also an opportunity to appreciate a life that has been devoted, in different capacities, to public service and the wellbeing of others.

“Senator Oluremi Tinubu has spent many years in public service, and I believe her commitment to women, children and vulnerable Nigerians deserves recognition.

“As we celebrate her at 66, I pray that God will continue to grant her the wisdom, strength and good health required to keep contributing to the development of our country,” Oseni said.

The Chairman of the House Committee on FERMA also commended the First Lady’s interventions through the Renewed Hope Initiative, particularly programmes focused on education, healthcare, social welfare and economic empowerment.

He said initiatives aimed at supporting ordinary Nigerians were important to the country’s development, adding that government at every level must continue to look beyond policies and programmes to their actual impact on people’s lives.

Oseni stressed the need for Nigerians to put the interest of the country above ethnic, religious and political differences.

According to him, national development can only be sustained when citizens and leaders alike recognise their shared responsibility to build a country where every Nigerian has a sense of belonging.

“Whatever our differences may be, Nigeria remains our common home. We must continue to promote those things that bring us together and give hope to our people.

“The responsibility of building a better Nigeria belongs to all of us. Government has its role, but citizens, community leaders and other stakeholders also have important roles to play,” he said.

The lawmaker prayed for the continued good health and wellbeing of the First Lady, wishing her more years of service, fulfilment and impact.

He also expressed hope that her birthday would mark the beginning of another productive chapter in her life and public service.

“On behalf of my family, my constituents and the people of Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, I wish our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a happy 66th birthday.

“May God continue to preserve her and grant her many more years in good health and peace. May her service to humanity and Nigeria continue to yield positive results,” Oseni added.

• Watchdogs accuse Makinde of killing Water Corporation, converting Agodi reservoir to shopping complex

The political pressure group, Watchdogs for Good Governance, has accused the Oyo State Government of abandoning the state’s public water system despite billions of naira allegedly allocated to the sector over the past seven years.

The group also accused Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration of gradually killing the Oyo State Water Corporation and converting a strategic state water reservoir at Agodi, along Old Ife Road, Ibadan, into a shopping complex.

In a strongly worded statement issued yesterday in Ibadan by its Convener, Comrade Ahmed Adeyemo, the group said residents had been left to provide water for themselves through boreholes and wells, with attendant health and environmental consequences.

It described the alleged conversion of the Agodi water reservoir as “unfortunate, insensitive and a monumental fraud that must be questioned.”

“The conversion of a state water reservoir to a shopping complex is a slap in the face of the good people of Oyo State.

“Today, lack of clean potable water has forced our people to rely on boreholes. It increases the spread of diseases and inflicts untold hardship,” the group said.

According to Watchdogs for Good Governance, the Oyo State Water Corporation, established in 1977 from the defunct Western Nigeria Water Corporation, provided potable water to Ibadan and other major towns for decades before its alleged gradual decline.

The group asked the government to explain the challenges confronting the corporation and why existing public water infrastructure could not be rehabilitated.

“What challenges was the Corporation facing that could not be addressed without destroying existing public infrastructure? Governor Makinde must explain to the people why he chose to sell off their future,” Adeyemo said.

The group also challenged the state government to publish audited accounts of expenditure on the water sector, alleging that budgetary provisions running into billions of naira had been made for water projects over the years.

“Records are there for sons and daughters of Oyo State to verify. Billions were provided for in the budget for water every year. Where did the money go? Why are taps dry? Why does the Water Corporation exist only on paper?” it asked.

The group further warned against the increasing resort to indiscriminate digging of wells and boreholes by residents desperate for water.

It said uncontrolled groundwater extraction could create environmental and climatic problems, including groundwater contamination and land subsidence.

Watchdogs for Good Governance contrasted the situation with previous administrations, which it said invested heavily in the state’s water infrastructure.

It specifically cited the administrations of Senator Rashidi Ladoja, now the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala and Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

According to the group, the three administrations embarked on rehabilitation and expansion of major water facilities, including the Asejire and Eleyele water treatment plants, thereby increasing water production capacity for Ibadan and adjoining communities.

“They built and maintained. This administration destroys and converts. If past governors had sold public infrastructures the way Makinde is doing, what would he have been selling today?” the group asked.

The group alleged that the Makinde administration had failed to provide public water supply in any part of Oyo State since 2019, insisting that the crisis was not limited to Ibadan.

“The Seyi Makinde administration has not been able to provide water in any part of Oyo State since 2019. It is not peculiar to Ibadan only, in spite of the billions of naira claimed to have been budgeted and possibly spent.

“This is a clear manifestation of corruption by his administration,” it alleged.

The group also criticised what it described as “cosmetic projects” by the administration, arguing that government should prioritise infrastructure capable of improving residents’ daily lives.

“His lack of understanding of governance led to many cosmetic projects that look good on billboards but add no value to the daily survival of the people. Water is life. You cannot replace water with a shopping complex,” it said.

However, official records from the Oyo State Government indicate that the administration has undertaken or announced several interventions in the water sector.

The government has reported rehabilitation work on water pipelines in parts of Ibadan, as well as interventions involving the Eleyele and Asejire water facilities. It has also reported the rehabilitation of Eleyele Dam with technical support from the World Bank and the resuscitation of the Osupa water reservoir in Ogbomoso.

The group, however, maintained that such interventions had not translated into regular public water supply for many residents across the state.

It consequently called for greater transparency in the management of funds allocated to the sector and vowed to continue pressing for accountability.

The group said the next administration would be expected to examine the state’s records on expenditure and projects in the water sector.

“Makinde should prepare to answer many questions after handing over to a more progressive government in May 2027. No secret will be left unexposed.

“The people of Oyo State deserve to know why they are drinking borehole water in 2026 after billions budgeted for clean water,” it said.