The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has donated 30 pick-up vans to security agencies in the state, such as the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Air Force, and local hunters, among others.
While presenting the vehicles, on Thursday, Makinde stated that his administration would continue to prioritise security as one of the four pillars of his government, noting that the vehicles were strictly for the purpose of maintaining peace and security in and around the state.
The Governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, said the vehicles were in fulfilment of promises made in the buildup to the 2023 general election that the security apparatus in the state would be fortified in a way that even criminals would hesitate to come into the state.
“While commissioning the rebuilt Ojoo Police Station, the governor delivered around 75 units of vehicles to be distributed to various Divisional Police Headquarters in Oyo State. We were all witnesses to the epoch-making event.
“Today, in fulfillment of further promises, the governor made a commitment to give the balance of the vehicles to the Divisional Police Headquarters and we thank God this morning that the promise is being kept,” Lawal stated.
Maintaining that the vehicles must be utilised mainly for the purpose of ensuring security, the deputy governor stated that the Nigeria Police would get 15 additional vehicles for the Divisional Police Headquarters in the state; the NSCDC, two vehicles; while the Nigerian Air Force would be given one vehicle.
He said the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) would get two vehicles; the NDLEA, one; the Hunters Association of Nigeria, one; while eight of the vehicles would be used by the Governor’s Monitoring Unit.
Lawal stated:“All together, we are giving out 30 units of security vehicles for the purpose of maintaining peace and security in Oyo state and I believe that with all the efforts we are putting in place, criminals will look elsewhere to perpetrate their heinous crime. The governor has said we will continue to give support wherever we need to.”
Similarly, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Makinde, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), who spoke alongside the Special Adviser on Migration and Homeland Security, Mr Segun Adegoke and the Executive Assistant on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd), all said the Makinde administration placed great premium on security.
Owoseni disclosed that the 15 additional vehicles were given to Divisional Police Headquarters and some critical sectors in the Police, such as the Police Force Mobile Squadron in Ago-Are and Ibadan and the Counter-Terrorism Unit, which were not captured earlier.
He explained that the Governor’s Monitoring Unit, which is a blend of different security agencies, including the Police and the Air Force, and linked directly to the Security Control Room, is for immediate response to 615 Distress Calls and to ensure a holistic security architecture.
The SA Security clarified that the 30 distributed vehicles were not the same as those promised by the governor to commemorate his first 100 days in office under Omituntun 2.0, noting that the 100 KIA Saloon cars would still be branded and distributed to security agencies in the state.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, Mr Adebola Hamzat, commended Governor Makinde for his continued investment in ensuring the maintenance of peace and security in the state.
Hamzat said: “I am glad, on behalf of my other colleagues in the security services, for the commitment, dedication and continued assistance of the Oyo state government to the security architecture of the state. This is not the first time. We had this kind of support before, we are having it now and we will continue to have it.”
He promised that the facilities would be put to good use by the Police and its sister agencies, praying that the continued peace being enjoyed in the state would continue to be maintained.
