Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun called for the establishment of a military “Forward Operation Base” in the eastern part of the state to check the increasing criminal activities from neighbouring states in the area.
The governor made the call when he received the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Farooq Mijinyawa, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Emphasising that the high volume of commercial activities in the eastern part of the state comes with attendant criminal activities, Abiodun said there is an urgent need to beef up security in the region.
He stressed that a military presence in the area will deter intruders who migrate from neighbouring states to wreak havoc in Ogun.
One way you can help us sustain the peace we have been enjoying in Ogun State is to establish a base, maybe a Forward Operating Base, in the eastern part of the state.
“Right now, we are at the centre where we have the state capital. We have a presence in Ogun West, but I think because of the level of commercial activities that are beginning to evolve in the eastern flank of the state, particularly with our airport there, you will see an exponential increase in business activities.
“Because now and then, there are issues that want to test our resolve to maintain peace and order, and as you know, as a law enforcement expert, the speed with which you respond to these issues determines how quickly you neutralise them.
“The Brigade Commander has often had to respond with dispatch through OP-MESA to places like Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode when we have issues. In fact, at times, we had to put men to stay there. Sagamu-ogijo is where these bad boys constantly travel between Ikorodu, Ogijo, and Sagamu. They sometimes have issues with cultists, which sometimes get very bad. We cannot have such news from Ogun, the nation’s industrial hub.
