Ogun State government on Friday, said it has forged a partnership with the two neighbouring states of Lagos and Oyo to tackle the menace of killer herdsmen, kidnappers as well as other bandits operating in its forests.
The chairman of the state chapter of the South West Security Network, code named “Amotekun”, Dave Akinyemi who spoke with newsmen yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital said the partnership became necessary following the upsurge in criminal activities, particularly the menace of suspected Fulani herdsmen terrorising motorists on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway corridor and escaping into the forest.
Akinyemi, who recalled how eight villages in the Imeko-Afon local government area of the state came under attacks of some murderous herders, particularly at Idofa village, where five persons were killed and property worth several millions of naira destroyed, also explained that the state was already collaborating with Oyo and Lagos to comb its forests and smoke out the harbingers of destruction.
Emphasizing that provision of adequate security has been a cardinal and focal point of the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration, Akinyemi, a retired police commissioner, declared that the incumbent administration in Ogun will not allow any part of the state to be taken over by terrorists, killer herdsmen, kidnappers or bandits who felt the state can be a safe haven for them to unleash mayhem on the people.
Noting that it will preposterous to suggest that Abiodun or any other governor from the South West has been playing politics with the lives of the people, the Amotekun chairman further stated that the Abiodun led administration was not unaware of its constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property of her citizens and is doing so in many areas.
He explained that with the resurgence in cases of kidnapping on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Amotekun personnel in Ogun and Oyo states are now combing the forests to dislodge the terrorists, a move that he said, has been yielding positive results.
He said that the state government has concluded arrangements to fortify all the 20 local government areas of the state with Amotekun operatives, adding that this will be complemented by some operatives, who recently concluded their training and are waiting to be mobilized.
The Amotekun boss also noted that the Corps has been collaborating with the Army, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others to rid the state of criminals.
He disclosed that the inter agency cooperation has led to the arrest of over 50 cultists and other hoodlums in Sagamu and other areas in Ogun East.
