Service chiefs, Makinde harp on need to tackle insecurity

• Gov seeks more troops for boundary communities
• South-West leaders to discuss challenges March 17

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, yesterday, harped on the need to tackle insecurity in Nigeria and border towns of Oyo State.

Irabor, who paid a visit to Makinde at the Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital, assured Nigerians that the military would work assiduously to address prevailing security challenges in the country.

Makinde, represented by the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to deploy more troops for surveillance in boundary communities in Oke-Ogun axis linking Kwara State and Benin Republic to curb insecurity in the state.

The service chiefs, in company of Irabor, were the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubiru Gambo and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao.

Present on the side of Oyo State government were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Fatai Owoseni; Oyo State Commandant of Amotekun Corps, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd); Oyo State House of Assembly Chairman on Security, Akeem Obadara; Director-General, Operation Burst, Oladipo Ajibola; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko and others.

Irabor said that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed them to ensure peace and security in the country within few weeks in conjunction with other security agencies.

“The work is not over. There are still pockets of security challenges. The President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, has charged us to ensure we bring peace and security to the country within few weeks,” Irabor said.

He said the military authorities recognised the centrality of the state government in ensuring security of residents of the state and lauded the efforts of the state government geared towards ensuring peace and security.

Makinde, who stated that criminal elements came through Oke-Ogun axis, the boundary between Oyo and Kwara states, extending to Benin Republic, urged the military authorities to deploy more troops to the axis and assist the state through air surveillance.

He promised that the state government would support the military authorities with logistics.
MEANWHILE, leaders of Yoruba nation are billed to deliberate on the state of security in the country under the auspices of Pan-Yoruba Congress.

A statement by the Congress Committee Chairman, Sola Lawal, stated that the gathering was slated for Mapo Hall by 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

According to Lawal, dignitaries expected at the event include leaders of all facets of human engagement, such as traditional, political, religious, business and social, among others.

Lawal said that the event would set the agenda for comprehensive safety and security across the South-West region as allowed within the ambit of the law of the nation.