Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr. Abiodun Odude has declared that his men have arrested over 1,000 members of ‘One Million Boys’ and charged over 400 of them to court.
Odude made this declaration on Monday while speaking at a town hall meeting tagged “Public-Private Partnership in Security Funding: Introduction of Security Levy in Oyo State”, organised by the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, OYSSTF, at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The Police boss while applauding Governor Ajimobi of the state for introducing OYSSTF and “Operation Burst” noted that with these, the government had placed security issues on the front burner.
He maintained that security agencies had been trying their best with government’s support to nip crime and criminality in the bud, noting that security was a collective responsibility of all and sundry.
Odude said “We have arrested more than 1,000 members of ‘One Million Boys’ and we have charged over 400 of them to court”.
Ajimobi, who spoke at the event through his Deputy, Hon. Moses Adeyemo note that in line with his government’s commitment to boost security and enhance safety of lives and property, the government through the OYSSTF was set to implement a compulsory security levy in the state.
He declared that the levy would be made to suit the economic profile of the state, as well allow corporate bodies, individuals and all residents to contribute to the security of the state.
According to him, an enabling law of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, as amended by the state House of Assembly was to pave way for the operation of a private sector driven OYSSTF to incorporate the introduction of the security levy.
He said “It is not in doubt that our security agencies have faced a serious shortfall in funding. Funding Oyo State Security Trust Fund is the key to achieving all these goals. On our part, this hover has granted a one per cent security tax on all contracts executed on behalf of the state government, and I am also aware that these deductions have assisted the Fund in the past year.
“For the furtherance of our agenda on safety and security, we have embraced the safe city project, which will proffer cutting edge solutions that will nip crime and criminality in the bud, especially in our major townships. We are currently installing closed circuit television (CCTV) in black spots and business districts in the city to enhance our security architecture. I ask all the stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of the security levy collection exercise that is to commence shortly.”
Describing the idea of state police as a step in the right direction, the governor averred that the present federal structure of security agencies was not sustainable.
He further noted that the existing structure in the state should be strengthened and not abandoned, adding that in more than six years, the scorecard of his administration, which are peace and security, suggested that “we did not only dream about the desire to make the people of Oyo State sleep with their two eyes firmly shut, we have achieved it. We have reined in the rapacious drivers’ unions and clamped down on all brigands in the state.
“We inaugurated the joint security outfit codenamed ‘Operation Burst’ with six zonal commands. To give the outfit the needed bite, we procured armoured personnel carriers, a fleet of patrol vehicles and equipped them with state-of-the-earth communication equipment for their operations.
“To enlist the support of stakeholders, we went a step further by floating the Oyo State Security Trust Fund to raise funds for the improvement of the security architecture of the state. The result of these efforts is a drastic reduction in crime rate and civil unrest manifesting in no major crime or robbery in the last six years”.
