Ogun: Abiodun reads riot act to criminals

Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, yesterday read riot act to criminals to stay away from the state or be smoked out. 

The governor, who equally declared that his administration would not hesitate to come down heavily on sponsors of crimes and criminals, said the security apparatus in the state would be strengthened to ensure security of lives and property.

Abiodun spoke in his Oke Mosan, Abeokuta Office, at the end of a security meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama and the State Director of the Department of Security Service (DSS), David Tukfa.

The governor observed that recent incidents of kidnappings and banditry in the state were a test of his administration’s resolve and demonstration in clear terms, its strong commitment to ensure secured Ogun, reiterating no criminal would find a safe haven in the state.

He, however, warned landlords and property owners in the state not to allow their property be used as hideouts for criminals, declaring any property or facility found to be serving as hideout to criminals would not only be taken over by the state, but demolished.

Abiodun added landlords found culpable will also be arrested and handed over for prosecution for harbouring criminals and will also be considered and treated as accomplices.

The governor disclosed that the Ogun State Security Trust Funds would be reorganised to comprise of key stakeholders alongside government officials and longstanding retired law enforcement officers in the state.

“Let me state in clear terms that no part of Ogun State will be a safe haven for criminals and criminality in whatever form, whether on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Sagamu-Benin-Ore Expressway, Abeokuta-Sango Expressway or even our township roads, inter-state roads, we shall smoke them out, we shall arrest them and we shall hand them over to the swift hands of justice.

“Let me use this opportunity to sound this very strong note of warning to our landlords and any property owner, that any property or facility found to be serving as hideout to criminals will not only be taken over by the state, but we will demolish such property. The landlords will also be arrested and handed over for prosecution for harbouring criminals, we will consider and treat them as accomplices.

“We are working forwards strengthening our security apparatus in the state. We are reorganising the Ogun State Security Trust Funds and it will comprise key stakeholders along side government officials and some of our longstanding retired law enforcement officers.

“We will be relaunching the state security trust fund. We will ensure it has the right cooperate governance so that it can provide the required funding for our law enforcement agencies,” Abiodun said.