The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has deployed Agro-Rangers to farming settlements and rural communities across Oyo State to protect farmers and combat criminal activities.
The State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, disclosed this while receiving members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, during a courtesy visit to his office in Ibadan.
Padonu said the Corps had established operational bases in farming communities and was considering expanding its presence to strategic locations to strengthen security coverage.
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He said the command had more than 2,000 personnel, 78 divisional offices and 11 area commands across the state, alongside specialised units, including the Counter-Terrorism Unit, to address various security challenges.
The commandant called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, community leaders, government authorities and the media to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.
He expressed concern over criminal groups operating in forested areas, stressing the need for improved intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations, particularly across state boundaries.
Padonu said the command was working with other security agencies and the Oyo State Government’s security adviser to address security threats and protect lives and property.
He also urged journalists to verify information before publication, noting that responsible reporting was essential to effective security management.
“There is nothing any agency can do without journalists. We cannot blow our own trumpet; you are the ones who will do that for us,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Yinka Adeniran, commended the Corps for its contributions to security operations in the state, particularly efforts to secure the return of victims abducted in Orire Local Government Area.
Adeniran, who works with The Nation newspaper, said journalists covering the incident had witnessed the efforts of security personnel and considered it important to acknowledge their sacrifices.
He also commended the command’s reported outreach under the Safe School Initiative, which he said had reached about 65,000 students.
The NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel chairman urged the Corps to sustain its security operations and strengthen engagement with the media by providing timely information on its activities and achievements.
