Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, demanded the deployment of more troops in the state by the military to help the fight against insecurity.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, stated this while receiving the Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor and other Service Chiefs at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan.
He said the government will continually support and give necessary logistics to enhance the security of lives and property in the state, adding, however, that the need for continuous synergy between the military and other security agencies cannot be overemphasized.
He added that to surmount the insecurity challenges in the state and parts of the country, there is the need to deploy more troops to help with the internal security assignment.
Besides General Irabor, other Service Chiefs in attendance include the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Isiaka Oladayo Amao; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General SA Adebayo; and the General officer Commanding Second Mechanised Division, Ibadan, Major General Anthony B. Omozoje among other senior officers.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Gov Makinde as saying that the state has been receiving cooperation from the Nigerian Army through the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division in the state.
He equally commended the professionalism of the Army, saying: “We have been receiving cooperation from the Nigerian Army based in Ibadan under the General Officer Commanding. So, I must tell you that the state government is appreciative of this because they answer our call anytime we call them.
Makinde also explained that the present administration in the state is accommodating and “does not give room for tribalism,” insisting that all Nigerians living in the state must be protected and safe.
“We don’t discriminate here. This is the pacesetter state in Nigeria and our people are very accommodating. So, I can assure you that any Nigerian national here is in a safe place,” he stated.
The governor, however, demanded more troops to launch surveillance on porous borders in Oke-Ogun zone of the state, saying: “Also, we want the Nigerian Army to do more. The criminals come in through Oke-Ogun, the boundary between Oyo and Kwara States, extending to Baruten in Kwara and extending to the Benin Republic. So, we need more troops for surveillance, more than what is on the ground.
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Irabor had told the gathering that the Service Chiefs were in Oyo State on regional security visit, adding that the purpose was to familiarise with the troops, officers and men of the Nigeria Army in the state and to equally let the government know that the military forces are working assiduously to address issues of insecurity in partnership with other security agencies in the state.
“We have recognised the centrality of the state government in this regard. So, we felt it is necessary for us to pay this courtesy call for you to know that the entourage is here in the state for good, for the greater good of Oyo State indigenes and citizens as well as every Nigerian and inhabitants of the geographical space in South-Western Nigeria,” Irabor said.
Similarly, Irabor, while commiserating with the state government over the recent unfortunate incident which took the lives of some citizens and residents of the state also lamented the loss of properties.
