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Explains how he facilitated N500m for establishment of Ayede Poly
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By Oluseye Ojo
The Federal Government has been called upon to establish a military base in Ogbomosoland in Oyo State as a proactive measure to curb the rising threat of banditry and violent incursions from neighbouring states.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the National Assembly, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, made the call during an encounter with journalists on how he facilitated N500 million for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Ayede community, Ogbomoso.
He cited recent security breaches, including the killing of forest guards at the Old Oyo National Park in Ikoyi-Ile and reported attacks on communities across the Oyo–Kwara axis.
Adeseun, who had represented Ogo Oluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and Oyo Central in the Senate, warned that the porous nature of the borders has made the region vulnerable to infiltration by bandits and suspected armed herders.
According to him, the absence of a permanent military presence along key border areas has emboldened criminal elements to carry out attacks with little resistance.
The former chairman of Surulere Local Government, Iresa Adu, Oyo State, noted that Ogbomoso’s proximity to neighbouring states places it at strategic risk, stressing that security responses often come only after lives and property have been lost.
“We are very close to the border. People migrate across, and there is no telling where they will show up tomorrow. So, we need to be prepared; we need to be ready,” Adeseun said.
He lamented that the deployment of troops to Ikoyi-Ile came after many lives had already been lost, describing the move as an afterthought.
He further explained that while Ibadan is relatively close, and Oke-Ogun has a battalion stationed in Saki, the distance and response time could prove disastrous in the event of an attack on Ogbomoso communities.
“Between Saki and Ogbomoso is about a three-hour drive. If something happens here, before help arrives, all hell would have broken loose,” he warned.
Adeseun appealed for the establishment of at least a military outpost, if not a full-fledged base, to provide a combat-ready presence in the area.
He clarified that while there is an educational military command in Ilorin, it is not combat-oriented and therefore inadequate for addressing emerging security threats.
In a related development, the former senator disclosed that he facilitated N500 million for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Ayede community, Ogbomoso, describing it as a strategic intervention to expand federal educational presence and promote technical and vocational skills development in Oyo State.
He explained that the idea was conceived during his first tenure in the National Assembly, while serving on the House Committee on Education, following a Federal Ministry of Education study that revealed a glaring imbalance in the distribution of federal tertiary institutions across the country.
At the time, Oyo State reportedly had only the University of Ibadan as a federal institution.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, Adeseun said he intensified efforts during his second term, eventually securing federal approval, land and funding for the polytechnic. The institution, currently operating from a temporary site in Iresa-Pupa, offers National Diploma programmes in disciplines such as Accountancy, Engineering and Computer Science, with a strong emphasis on practical and entrepreneurial training.
He added that the polytechnic was deliberately sited in Ayede village to decongest Ogbomoso township and stimulate rural development, noting that the host community donated about 100 acres of land for the project with the support of traditional authorities.
