The Oyo State Government has assured residents that it will leave no stone unturned in ensuring their safety.
The assurance follows reports that bandits from northern parts of the country have infiltrated the state.
The government made the pledge during a press briefing after the state’s Joint Security Council meeting, presided over by Governor Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday. It confirmed that all hands were on deck to apprehend the bandits and use the law to deal with them.
This information was contained in a release issued by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital.
The governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Fatai Owoseni, while briefing the media on the council’s resolution, urged the public to continue with their lawful activities without fear, assuring them that the government would do all it could to secure the lives of residents.
Owoseni stated that with the strong collaboration among security agencies in the state, the bandits and other criminal elements have nowhere to hide.
He added, “The essence of this is to ensure that we take security to the grassroots. The Local Government administration is the third tier of government and is closest to the people. Similarly, traditional rulers are close to the people and know most of the people in their domains.
“By integrating them into the security network, we are taking security to the grassroots and ensuring everyone is involved. Security is everyone’s business, and we all have roles to play in ensuring that our state is safe from the antics of bandits and other criminal elements.”
He also mentioned that the council discussed the issue of decongesting correctional centres, adding that the state would invoke its power of prerogative of mercy to release some inmates.
Similarly, the council addressed the health and well-being of inmates, recommending that they be enrolled in the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme to ensure access to quality healthcare.
“A decision on the health insurance scheme for correctional centre inmates will be made at one of the subsequent council meetings,” Owoseni said.
Others present at the briefing included the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Abiodun Aikomo; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Ayodele Sonubi; Comptroller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, Jaiyeoba Babafemi; and Comptroller, Immigration Services, Oyo State Command, Joseph Dada.