The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Oyo State counterpart, Mr. Seyi Makinde on Wednesday, held a joint security meeting over the rising security threats of banditry, kidnappings, armed robbery, farmers/herders and ritual killings in the border communities of the two states.
The meeting, which was tagged “Ogun, Oyo Joint Security Meeting”, was held at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta had in attendance top government functionaries from both states, including Commissioners of Police in charge of the two state, and top military personnel.
The states also agreed to inaugurate a high-level Joint Security Committee to focus on and proactively address security matters along the boundary communities and interstate roads, to enhance security between them.
In his remarks before the meeting, Governor Abiodun said, his administration will continue to be at the forefront of promoting peaceful coexistence of the people of the state and neighbouring states.
He said, the meeting was one of the ways of demonstrating a collective patriotism and belief in the development of the two states in particular, the South-West region and Nigeria in general.
He added that both states have peculiar security challenges saying that they have been tackling it independently with different mechanisms.
He, however, expressed optimism that the meeting would evolve practical and improved recommendations that would bring enduring peace and security to the people of the two states.
According to him, the joint security efforts would promote sustained economic development in the neighboring states, positing that “we will ensure no more hiding place for criminals.
“As people, we must adopt a common strategy to find lasting solutions to these security challenges
“I will continue to make life intolerable for criminals and I will continue to do it.”
On his part, Governor Makinde said the joint security meeting “is the right thing to do and it is absolutely important we do it.”
He said, “We have this security challenge years back, yet the PDP governors in the two states could not resolve it, just like what happened between Oyo and Osun on the issue of sharing assets and liabilities of the university. But am glad that I and the APC government of Osun were able to resolve that.”
In the seven-point communique which was read by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Oyo State, Oyelowo Oyewo, the two states also agreed to set up a Joint Border Security Task Force “with membership drawn from various security agencies in the two states, to patrol the border communities to ensure security of lives and property for the residents and commuters”.
He added the sister states would collaborate on emergency/distress calls, especially on the highways that connect Oyo and Ogun.
According to the communique, CCTV would be deployed on the interstate highways, while outposts would be set up along the border communities for the use of the Joint Border Security Task Force.
“The meeting agreed to implement the following initiatives in the short term; deployment of CCTV on the interstate highways; setting up of outposts along the border communities for the use of the Joint Border Security Task Force; harmonisation and mainstreaming of voluntary police and informal security outfits; timely and diligent prosecution of criminals to signify the resolve of the governments of both states to clamp down on criminality. In this wise, the Attorneys-General of the two states should ensure synergy between law enforcement agencies and their prosecution departments or directorates during the investigative and prosecution phases of cases”, the communique stated.
Other areas of collaboration as contained in the resolution include “sharing experiences and intelligence on security matters to assist overall safety and security of lives and property in the two states and the nation at large; to effectively engage, cooperate and collaborate with all the stakeholders, including but not limited to the Federal Government, state, and non-state actors (traditional institutions, religious groups, community development associations, etc.) whose input and support are required for improved security in the two states and around the border communities.
“The meeting emphasized that security is very critical to the achievement of the much-desired socio-economic development. Therefore, the two governors reaffirmed their commitment to the attainment of the objectives of the Joint Security initiatives. The meeting set up an Implementation Team to work out the modalities and programme of activities”.
