Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Friday, said his government wouldn’t allow anyone hiding under the guise of ethnic interest to perpetrate crisis within the state.
Governor Makinde said the war to be waged by the state and therefore the security agencies is against criminal elements, regardless of their tribes, religions, or creed.
He added that his administration wouldn’t allow anyone to threaten the peace of the state by acting unlawfully intrinsically is against the nation’s Constitution.
The governor spoke while receiving the new Commissioner of Police within the state, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, stressing that the government wouldn’t relent in placing priority on the welfare of security agencies within the state.
He said his administration would still synergise with security agencies within the state to fight crime and criminality regardless of their tribes, religions, or creed.
The governor said, “For people stoking ethnic tension, they’re criminals and once you get them, they should be arrested and treated like common criminals.
“For this administration, the main pillar for us is security, because we all know that all the great economic plans we have won’t be possible in an environment of chaos and insecurity.
“So, when people say things that are neither lawful nor within the spirit of Nigeria’s Constitution, it’s not acceptable here. and that they cannot hide under the guise of protecting Yoruba’s interest to perpetuate chaos within the state.
“I am sure that since you came in, you would have heard about some things happening at Ibarapa axis of the state. I will be able to still say it here that we aren’t after Hausa-Fulani. We are after criminals.
“We are after hoodlums and bandits regardless of their tribe, religion, or creed. Those are the people we are after. If you check out the records, once we had the heist incident at Okeho in Kajola government Area of the state, some people were killed, some were arrested and that we acknowledged that they were from Ebira, from Kogi State. So, we would like to travel after the criminals – whether or not they are Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani or whoever they’re ,” Makinde said.
The governor equally said that his administration would still synergise with all security agencies within the state to fight criminal elements, adding that his government will still place a priority on the welfare of the officers and men of the police within the state.
Governor Makinde, who stated that his government would make sure that all security agencies work together to make sure a secure and peaceful Oyo State, also acknowledged that the Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Operation Amotekun, like federal security agencies, is functioning towards an equivalent objective of securing the state.
“Amotekun here in Oyo State is functioning with us towards an equivalent objective. we’d like intelligence to understand about criminals before they even strike. it’s altogether |one amongst|one in every of”> one among the main reasons why we found out Amotekun; to be ready to gather intelligence in all the wards in Oyo State.
“But an equivalent people that demonised Amotekun are those now telling us that a particular ethnic nationality should leave this place.
“You and your team are all coming in at a really challenging time. this is often a period where false information is nearly at its highest, ethnic tension almost at its highest also . So, i will be able to say you’ve got your job cut out for you. We won’t make the work difficult. we’ll be sincere and open; we’ll support you.”
Earlier, the new Commissioner of Police, Mrs Onadeko, said, “We are here to formally tell you that we’ve resumed duty. We came with the promise that we would like to form the lives and property of the people of Oyo State safe and secure. we would like the people to travel to bed with their eyes closed.”
Follow us on twitter: @oyogist
