Governors in the South West region have approved joint operation for the men of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun to patrol the entire region, to enhance inter-border patrol during the festive season.
The Chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the steps became necessary to provide adequate security to the people of the region.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Security, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo who described the decision as a round peg in a round hole, said the exercise will involve officers patrolling the roads, towns, and villages within the region on 24 hours basis.
Dojumo said that the Southwest governors led by its chairman and the Ondo State governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, approved the joint operation to check banditry, kidnapping, and wanton destruction of lives, properties, and other security challenges which had reduced drastically in the region.
“We are the one coordinating all the commanders. The steps and actions that commanders are taking have received the blessings of all the governors led by Arakunrin Akeredolu.
Speaking, during the flag-off of the inter-border patrol in Owena town, a boundary community between Osun and Ondo states, the Ondo state Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that about 310 personnel had been deployed to all the border routes in the southwest region to enhance inter-border patrol during the festive season.
Adeleye, the Chairman of the Amotekun Commanders in the region, who was flanked by his Osun state counterpart, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinbi said the exercise will involve officers patrolling the roads from Osun to Ondo and others towns and villages on 24 hours basis.
He said: “It will guarantee the safety of vehicles plying the roads especially during this yuletide period when we expect a heavy flow of vehicles day and night.
“This is in continuation of our operation ‘clean up’ which has yielded tremendous results in the area of curbing criminal activities in the state.
It is now being extended to Osun, Ekiti, Ogun so that we can be sure that this new year and Christmas festivities will be hitch-free.
“It is going to be a routine that will go on throughout this period until the new year. After the new year celebration, we will review the security situation, to determine if it should be continued”
He explained that “We have deployed 750 men across the 18 local government areas of Ondo state. We have also set aside 210 men for the borders patrol cutting across Ekiti, Ogun through the riverine area and we are also going to cover from Ilesha to Owena-Akure in conjunction with 100 personnel from Osun”.
According to him, men of the Amotekun Corps will work round the clock with other security agencies to ensure that the yuletide period is free of crime.
The Amotekun commander added that timely information by drivers, commuters, and residents will go a long way in helping the agency to achieve its end result.
Meanwhile, the new Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Mr Oyediran Oyeyemi, has promised to work with the State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun, and other security agencies under the law to ensure a safe and secure environment for all residents in the state.
Oyeyemi who assumed duty in the state some four days ago stated this at the command headquarters in Akure, assured residents of the state of adequate security throughout the yuletide season and beyond.
He said: “I am ready to work with all security agencies under the law and stakeholders to make Ondo State crime-free.
“I have a strong belief that the current security problem confronting the country will be a thing of the past. We just need to stitch some edges.
“You will notice that the issue of human rights abuses is on a serious decrease, and I want to assure you that under my watch, there won’t be any link to abuse.”
It will be recalled that Oyeyemi was posted to the state, following the retirement of CP Bolaji Amidu Salami, the erstwhile commissioner of police in the state, who completed the statutory years of service in the Force.
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba, had deployed Oyeyemi to the Ondo State Command as the new CP after Salami’s retirement.
The new Commissioner of Police, Oyediran, who was until this deployment, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Railway Police Command, was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force in 1990.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune