The Police Commands of Oyo and Ogun states have reaffirmed their commitment to ridding both states and their environs of undesirable criminal elements.
Adebowale Williams, Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, and Lanre Bankole, Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, made the pledge yesterday in an effort to proactively prevent future criminal occurrences along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
Both commissioners launched a strategic assessment patrol and eventually deployed assets in the affected areas.
Adebowale said: “Consequent upon the above, the security architecture of both Commands were also deliberately re-modeled with cooperation from adjoining states Police Commands to deal decisively with criminal elements whose mindset is to use both states as a criminal hideout after being dislodged.
“In furtherance of the above, the good citizens of Oyo State are advised not to panic or agitate as adequate deployment of tactical and operation assets would be seen swarming the axis and embarking on; joint intelligence -led surveillance, aggressive patrols with adjourning states, combing of forests alongside local hunters and vigilantes and permanent visibility policing measures intensified along the busy highways.”
“In addition, private and public users of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway are encouraged to go about their day to day activities without any form of fear of molestation or harassment from unscrupulous elements as adequate security measures in its topmost capacity are on ground.”
“While cooperation with the Police in exchange of credible and timely information is encouraged, the CP enjoins the good people of Oyo State to eschew crime and criminality at all times.”
“In cases of emergency, the Command can always be reached through these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (OYO STATE SECURITY TRUST FUND), and Oyo State Police Command emergency lines 07055495413 and 08081768614.”
“The NPF rescue me app is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and I phone users respectively,” to the Oyo State CP said.
Meanwhile, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Gani Adams, has urged Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) to allow the newly inaugurated Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, team and the South-West Security Stakeholders Group, SSSG, to flush out kidnappers and bandits operating along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Aare Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media Kehinde Aderemi, expressed concern over the incessant attacks on travellers plying the road.
He said since the police had failed to honour the earlier arrangements to provide effective security along the road, it is pertinent to ask the governors to allow the OPC, Amotekun and other security groups like the Hunters, Vigilante, COMSAIC, Isokan Oodua under the auspices of the SSSG to get rid of terrorists from the bushes.
Expressing worry over the spate of insecurity along the road, Adams stated that the only way out of the quagmire is to allow the OPC to face the battle for the restoration of peace along the road.
He said: “There has been an abnormal surge in cases of kidnapping along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“The information at my disposal indicates the surge in the number of terrorists and kidnappers hiding at Sapade, a 62 km town to Ibadan.
“Kidnappers are now having a field day, even as it is obvious that the police couldn’t help the prevailing situation.
“The situation is getting out of hand and I believe it is now time for the three governors of Oyo,Ogun and Lagos to allow us flush the bandits out of their hiding place.”