The Special Adviser on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), has stated that Oyo and Ogun States are working assiduously to end the activities of kidnappers on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Owoseni, who noted that progress has been made to that effect, added that the two states are equally putting measures in place to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.
He stated this while speaking to journalists in Ibadan over the weekend, maintaining that the deployment of security personnel to the axis is being streamlined by the two states.
He explained that following the recent attack, extensive deliberation had been made between the Ogun and Oyo security teams to work out a sustainable plan and ensure that criminal elements are brought to justice.
While explaining further that the states involved have intensified visibility on the road and have continued to restrategize, Owoseni assured that “we won’t leave any gap as we are also getting the commitment from Ogun state axis.”
He said: “Prior to the nasty and unfortunate incident we had two weeks ago, we had always put measures in place to ensure that that road was safe for commuters, and of course it was even heightened when the two state governors met to put up a joint security task force.
“Aside the fact that security operatives with the encouragement of the two state governments are working assiduously to ensure that the criminal elements are brought to justice, progress has been made to that.
“We are also putting measures in place to ensure that such won’t occur again. We have intensified our visibility on the road; it was a random thing and for random cases of kidnapping. What matters most is visibility, unlike targeted ones.
“We have strengthened our visibility on the road, we have continued to restrategise and ensure we don’t leave any gap, and we are also getting the commitment from Ogun state axis. We have taken further steps to follow the agreement of the two governors in the area of security by following it to the letter.
“The two states are talking, on Thursday, the delegate of Ogun State came to Ibadan to meet the commissioner of Police. On Wednesday, we went to Ogun to ensure that we streamlined our deployments. Even today (Saturday), we had an extensive deliberation, I mean the Ogun and Oyo security team, to work out how to sustain our plans and ensure that criminal elements are dealt with.
“We are looking at how we can be proactive. With what is in place now, such things will be a thing of the past. We pray that God crowns our efforts. We are working together to ensure that whatever is put in place is sustained.
“We are looking for ways to optimize the local elements, which are the informal sector within that community in tandem with traditional rulers.”
