Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed his administration’s determination to partner traditional rulers in the state in tackling insecurity.
Makinde stated that his administration had inaugurated a Security Task Force comprising cabinet members and heads of security agencies including Operation Burst and Amotekun in a bid to improve security in the state.
The governor spoke during a meeting with traditional rulers and security agencies at the House of Chiefs, state Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. He stated that the government had introduced voluntary policing in which non-state actors would work together with other security agencies to tackle insecurity.
The meeting had in attendance the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji; a representative of the Soun of Ogbomoso; members of the Oyo State Traditional Council; the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko and other security chiefs.
The governor, who reiterated the need for qualitative intelligence gathering, said there could be no security without intelligence gathering, said, “In all of the troubled areas across our state, the royal fathers often get information before we do, and that is why it is important that we must collaborate with you.
“The reason we are in this meeting today is because security is one of the four pillars of our administration, and one of our key policies as contained in the roadmap for accelerated development in Oyo State (2019-2023). There are actually four cardinal points which this administration is standing on. We have health, education, expansion of our economy and security. If Oyo State is to continue on the path to economic growth, then, the state’s security architecture must be maintained.
“While other states are battling with increases in food prices and other things, in Oyo State, the cost of transportation, housing and food items, including bread, yam, fruits and vegetables, have remained stable. But if we want to continue to enjoy this stability, we must ensure that we maintain a secure environment.
“If our plans are to work effectively, we need the buy-in of everyone in Oyo State, but most importantly, you, our fathers in each of our communities, we need your buy-in and that is why I have invited you for this meeting today. You will be the ones to communicate this to our people. For instance, if we talk about people working in the mining area, some of our traditional rulers in Oke-Ogun will sign documents for those who need land for mining for peanuts. If we interact on what we desire to do, you can also advise us on the local situation in your areas.”
Earlier, Oba Adeyemi said that state governors should not be blamed for the insecurity within their states, as they are not the ones controlling the security agencies in their states.
He said, “I want to say that we traditional rulers and royal fathers are stakeholders in the issue of security. They are killing and raping our sons and daughters in public. They are killing our people as well. It is appalling that we still see some of the people we have arrested and handed over to the Police on the street gallivanting around. Our governor is doing the right thing but we don’t really have superior power over the constitution guiding us.
“If our governor orders Police to carry out an assignment and another order comes from the FG, definitely nothing will be done. So, don’t let us deceive ourselves. Even our governor cannot command the Army and he has no power over it. Now, 70 per cent of our farmers in Ibarapa have left their farmlands. They no longer farm again. If we do not succeed in having State Police, the states will continue to be puppets under the Federal Government.
“Your Excellency, you can actually put up a wonderful edifice but the operation of the constitution will not allow you to achieve the goal.”
Oba Adetunji, who spoke through the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan Balogun, said three groups including the government, security agencies and traditional rulers must collaborate for the security of any state to be guaranteed.
The Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Ngozi Onedeko, said the security agencies need intelligence gathering and necessary information from the public to perform maximally.
