By Lekan Adeniran
In the realm of security and economic development, Ogun State shines as a beacon of progress. Since the coming of Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Gateway State has witnessed uninterrupted peace and massive economic development. Ogun State now stands as one of the most peaceful and fastest-growing states in Nigeria, a testament to its importance in the nation. The responsibility to safeguard this crucial massive business hub with over 6,000 industries, fell upon the government to bolster security measures, as the state’s progress and its nearness to Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital had caught the eye of other parts of the country, drawing people in day by day.
The Abiodun-led administration has committed huge resources to equip the many security outfits in the state, including the Police, Amotekun, So Safe Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) amongst others in the bid to ensure that the many business concerns, industries and the citizens of the state enjoy high level of security.
The three-day official visit by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to the Gateway State last week was an icing on the cake in the attempt by Governor Abiodun to further secure the state. It turned out to be a harvest of a sort for the state. At the Governor’s Office on Thursday, the last day of the week, it was Egbetokun who first announced the goodies when he told the governor of plans to establish more police stations, area commands and Mobile Police Squadron in the state to commensurate with its rapid industrialisation.
The IGP, who also appreciated the massive infrastructural development going on in the state, told the governor: “I can see that our state has been turned around. In the last three days that I have been around, I hovered over the major towns in the state, and I could see massive developments going on. I want to thank you for the infrastructural developments that are going on across the state. The development is even; I can see that government projects are evenly distributed.
“And the least we can do as the police is to support you. We also have to pay attention to even provision of security to Ogun State because the infrastructural development going on here now is going to massively attract people from other states to Ogun State. I can see the migration of people into Ogun State increasing every day because of the development in the state and again because of the peace of the state. Ogun State today is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. And of course, the fasted growing state in Nigeria.
“All these developments coming to Ogun State that his excellency is undertaking have a burden on security. We recognize that, and the police leadership has decided to pay the necessary attention to the state. We are going to create more police stations to match the development that is going on in the state. We will establish more area commands. We are going to bring additional mobile police squadron into Ogun State. We must do everything to secure this state because Ogun State is very important to Nigeria. Ogun State, no doubt, is the industrial capital of this country, and we can’t do less than paying the necessary attention to the state. So, in terms of security, we are going to do the best that is needed for the state.”
The IGP, who said he gets daily reports from the Commissioner of Police in the state noted that the vision of the police leadership under his watch has materialized with constant pursuit of professionalism, compliance with the rule of law, and a people-friendly approach to policing. His ultimate aim, he noted, is to have a force well-equipped to face the evolving nature of crime. Such a transformation required the unwavering support of state governments and the Nigerian populace. Thus, the Inspector General did not seek just support but pleaded for it.
“Your excellency, I want to share the policing vision of the police leadership with you. I came into the office of the IGP with a vision to emplace a professionally competent police force. We intend to change the policing narrative of this country for the better. We need the police force that is service driven, that is the rule of law compliant, and that is people friendly. We need a police force that would be so well positioned to respond appropriately and adequately to the dynamics of crimes in our society. We can not achieve this without the support of state governments. We can not achieve this without the support of the people of Nigeria. So, I’m here today not to ask for your support because you have been giving that support but to plead that you don’t get tired of supporting the police,” Egbetokun said.
While welcoming the IGP, Governor Abiodun expressed deep appreciation for the visit, recognizing the privilege of having a son of Ogun State leading the Nigeria Police Force for the first time. He said his administration took pride in the Inspector General’s exceptional leadership, reflecting intelligence, capacity, and a profound sense of duty. The governor commended the strategic redesigning of operational strategies and administrative policies, driven by purposeful leadership and capacity enhancement. He also noted the IGP’s commitment to positive police-citizen relations, which has elevated trust and redefined the police force.
Prince Abiodun said: “I feel very privileged that it is under my watch as governor that we have an Ogun State son as the IGP. On behalf of the entire government and the people of this great state, I extend my heartfelt pride as you continue to excel in steering the Nigeria police force with commendable efficiency over the past 10 months. Your public demeanour, profound insight, and strategic orientation in policing vividly reflect the intellect and capacity of a top tier, well-educated officer, and a gentleman, marked by an admirable sense of duty and patriotism. You have been very deliberate and intentional in the systematic redesigning of the operational strategies administrative policies of the Nigeria Police Force driven by purposeful leadership and capacity enhancement. The impactful motivation you consistently instil in your personnel through timely promotions and incentives has undeniable enhanced their performance and dedication. As an expert in peace and public studies, you have exemplified the essence of positive police/civil relations, elevating the trust of Nigerians in the police force by addressing misconduct by decisive actions.”
Abiodun announced the donation of 25 new patrol vehicles to the police, alongside a state of the art surveillance drone. While announcing the donations, Prince Abiodun recalled that in the last one and half years, over 100 vehicles, 100 motor bikes and more than 300 units of walkie talkies have been donated to security agencies along with many other initiatives. These initiatives have ensured that Ogun remains one of the most peaceful states in the country.
“I am pleased to report that Ogun State remains steadfast in fulfilling its constitutional mandate to prioritise the security and welfare of the citizens. We’ve done this with the active effort underway to meet our thought on state police discourse as agreed at the National Economic Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Ogun State stands among the forerunners in fostering exceptional inter-agency cooperation. This has contributed significantly to our robust security landscape. This concerted effort is integral to our mission of establishing Ogun State as a beacon of economic growth and ensuring the well-being of every inhabitant.
“This is because ensuring security and safety for people and businesses is very crucial to attracting investment and promoting economic growth. This is even more critical as we work towards achieving our mission of promoting and sustaining Ogun State as the fasted growing economy in Nigeria and maximizing the potential of every citizens and residents of the state in everywhere they want to. Consequently, the issue of security is one that we take extremely seriously as a sub-national. Towards ensuring peace in the state, we continue to strengthen our support through our already established trust fund by continuous procurement of relevant gadgets, including drones. We will continue to augment the allowances and living conditions of our security personnel to motivate them and enhance security and peace in the state. The state will continue to fund and engage our various security outfits, including our own Amotekun with community leaders and residents, to implement effective strategies that have resulted significantly in the reduction of crimes across the state. Our administration is committed to ensuring that every resident can live in a secure and peaceful environment. These efforts have made Ogun State an investor destination of choice and contributed to job creation,” he said.
Amidst this landscaped of security reinforcement, an autonomous drone was launched by the IGP. Equipped with night vision and infrared capabilities, this new drone marked a significant upgrade for Ogun State. Governor Abiodun explained that the procurement of the drone aimed to safeguard the lives of residents and travellers, particularly along the vulnerable Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He acknowledged collaborative efforts between the police commands of Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states, which he noted, had already reduced crime levels, but the deployment of surveillance technology would ensure an even quicker response time and deterrence. The drone’s activities would be continuously monitored by a central station staffed by trained personnel, allowing for immediate identification and apprehension of miscreants. This initiative was just another example of the state’s support for the police force.
Governor Abiodun said: “The drone is one of the initiative of the Ogun State government to continue to ensure that we protect the lives of those who are living in Ogun State or those who are passing through Ogun State. One of the reason why we took the decision to acquire this drone was because of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which remains one of our most vulnerable points for those that are traveling through Ogun State, being the gateway to the rest of the country and the West African sub-region. The collaborative efforts of the Lagos State Police Command, Ogun State Police Command, and the Oyo State Police Command have significantly reduced the level of crime and criminal activities on that road alongside other law enforcement agencies. But we believe that with the deployment of this kind of technology, it will allow for shorter response time when there is an incident like we experienced in the past when miscreants kidnapped innocent victims on that road and run into nearby bushes.
“We believe that with this kind of surveillance equipment, which is continuously being monitored from a central monitoring station by personnel of police, DSS, civil defence, who have been trained for weeks, who are constantly monitoring these activities, it will make for rapid response time in ensuring that either this is discouraged or after when it happens, the miscreants can be immediately identified and brought to book. Initiative to support the police.”
Egbetokun said the surveillance drones provided invaluable support in various operational aspects by granting the police a tactical advantage and enabling swift responses to criminal activities. He expressed the hope that other governors would follow suit, emulating the Ogun State example.
There is no doubt that Governor Abiodun always strives to create a safe and secure haven, leading to increased investments and job creation opportunities in the Gateway State.
Adeniran is Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun .
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