ABEOKUTA – Ogun State Government says it is working on security policies that will continue to make the State a destination of choice for people coming into the country for business.
The Deputy Governor, Engr. Salako-Oyedele who stated this while receiving members of the State Community Social Orientation and Safety Corps, (So-Safe Corp), led by the Corp Commander, Soji Ganzallo, said Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration was ready to secure lives and property of its residents, by providing conducive atmosphere for people to work without fear.
Engr. Salako-Oyedele explained that the security challenges in the State became clear to government during the electioneering campaigns, saying that was why the Governor, in his manifesto, said security was an integral part of his administration.
“His Excellency, Governor Dapo Abiodun takes his responsibility as the Chief Security Officer of the State seriously. The second meeting he had in his office was with the Chief Security Officers, after meeting with Civil servants, to convey to them his seriousness on the issue of security and also to build relationship with CSOs in the state.
“Apart from the security of the citizens and residents of the State, the Governor was also particular about the safety of security personnel and this informed the purchase of security vehicles, motorcycles and other communication gadgets to reduce the risk and increase the confidence of the security personnel in the discharge of their duties, because he knew security equipments are the biggest problems that security personnel faced”, she said.
While commending the So-Safe Corps for cooperating with other sister agencies to curb criminal activities in the state, she noted that the introduction of community policing by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, was a vindication of what the Corps stands for, “because they are within communities to protect the people living in those areas.”
Earlier in his remarks, Commander Soji Ganzallo, said his Corps was committed to curb any form of criminal activities in the State, stressing that in 2011 when it came on board, as a Vigilante Service of Ogun State, crime was at the peak and residents could not sleep with their eyes closed.
Ganzallo said that since inception, the Corps had been able to stabilise the state in terms of crime, mop-up arms distributed to criminals, tackle robbery, curb kidnapping and rescue the wife of the Former House of Assembly Speaker of Osun State unhurt and arrested criminals which were handed over to police for further prosecution.
He however pledged the Corps support for Governor Abiodun-led administration, as well as appreciated the Governor for the toll-free lines which enabled residents to report any criminal activities in the State to relevant security agency.
