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Tag: Osun State

  • Oyetola to build 120-bed wards as Specialist Hospital gets facelift

    OSUN State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has approved the expansion of the state’s specialist hospital in Osogbo with the construction of 120-bed wards and a 30-flat doctors’ quarters.

    The move is seen as another boost to healthcare services.

    According to the Supervisor for Works, Mr. Remi Omowaye, the governor will perform the turning of sod of the project this month.

    The project is part of the ongoing revitalisation of the state’s Specialist Hospital in Asubiaro, Osogbo, the state capital.

    Omowaye spoke during an inspection tour of the ongoing face-lift of the hospital on Tuesday.

    With him during the inspection were members of the state’s Health Revitalisation Committee, Dr. Simeon Adeyemi Afolayan and Dr. Rafiu Isamotu.

    Afolayan said: “This project started barely a week ago, and now people can testify to the infrastructural development this place has witnessed.

    “As it is, work is ongoing at the laboratory section, accident and emergency unit, central blood bank unit, trauma centre, children ward, theatre section among others.

    Read Also: Oyetola seeks focus on technical education

    “This is a demonstration of extreme commitment to the welfare and well-being of the citizens by the Osun State government.

    “We are grateful to the government because when these projects are completed, they will go a long way to support the health needs of the people, particularly those that cannot afford to go to private hospitals for medical care.”

    Omowaye reiterated Oyetola administration’s resolve to ensure that all citizens have access to quality healthcare facilities in the state.

    He said health sector revitalisation had been designed to cater to the needs of every section in the health sector, adding that both infrastructure and personnel welfare will be affected.

    He said: “This place is one of the hospitals visited by the governor a few weeks ago and as a matter of fact, this hospital has witnessed a significant transformation and total turnaround.

    “In addition to the ongoing reconstruction of the hospitals across the state, we are expecting Mr. Governor to by next week flag-off the construction of 120-bed wards and 30-bedroom doctors flats in this hospital.

    “We are currently working on the Ejigbo hospital which is 80 per cent completed as well as the Ifetedo hospital. This is in addition to the revitalisation of 332 Primary Healthcare Centres out of which more than 100 will be ready by this month.”

  • Oyetola seeks technology-based approach to end insecurity

    Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has advocated a technology-based approach in the fight against insecurity.

    He urged the security agencies to adopt a new thinking that will galvanise optimum results and set the country on the path of peace, unity, progress and prosperity.

    Oyetola spoke yesterday during  the 2019 National Security Conference and Public Lecture, organised by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) of Osun State Police Command in Osogbo.

    Oyetola, who spoke on the theme of the conference, “Kidnapping and banditry: Understanding the twin menace,” said winning the war against kidnapping and banditry requires a deep understanding of the history of insecurity vis-a-vis the forms of crime, causes, threats, strategies for containment and eradication.

    He said the security agencies must begin to appraise the successes and failures so far and weaving a workable strategy around them in a bid to stem the tide and rid the nation off the menace.

    According to the governor, kidnapping and banditry are unarguably two dreaded monsters, adding that both crimes are fallouts, in the main, of real or perceived injustice in the nation accentuated by youth unemployment and poor economy.

    Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole  Oyebamiji, said the dire security situation in the country has become a national issue that must be tackled squarely without ethnic or religious inclinations.

    He said kidnapping and banditry have constituted a menace to the Nigeria’s national and corporate image, thus posing a threat to people’s personal safety and business.

    The governor said: “We must understand as a people and as government that kidnappers and bandits are our common enemies who are waging a war against us.

    “Security experts contend that war is fought and won on the altar of strategy. We require a strategic and creative thinking and employment of technology to win this war.

    “Security must be well-funded and security agencies must be provided with state-of-the-art arms that are superior to what the bandits use to secure all of us.

    “For our intervention to be successful, we need to bridge the gap between planning and implementation. We must change our perception by seeing kidnapping and banditry as crimes and treat them as such.

    “Perpetrators must be prosecuted and brought to justice. Giving any crime for that matter ethnic toga weakens the war against crime and gives more arsenals to our common enemies to continue to terrorize us”.

    The governor called for a collaborative effort among the stakeholders, saying the dire security situation in the country requires meaningful contribution of all.

    He said his administration has been working assiduously to keep the state safe and sustain its status as one of the peaceful and safest states in Nigeria.

    Oyetola held that his administration will spare no effort to continuously safeguard the state and her people, guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizenry and as well ensure the welfare of all.

    “Part of the proactive approach that our government adopted in frontally tackling the security threat is to meet with security stakeholders in Osogbo and Ilesa to galvanise the people behind our plans.

    Read Also: Oyetola seeks focus on technical education

    “Governors in the Southwest states have held a security summit which took the decision to work in concert against the security challenge. A follow up meeting to examine the approach was held in Akure last weekend.

    “The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, met on Tuesday here in Osogbo with our traditional rulers to perfect the plans against banditry.

    “Apart from the collaboration with neigbouring states, we have mobilised vigilance groups and local hunters to police the flash points and other parts of the state.

    “I have visited mining sites to assess the security situation there and the extent of environmental degradation. Following wide consultations, I have the full support of all the security agencies for our security plans.”

    Chairman, Osun State Chapter of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Amitolu said the programme was organised to reawaken the people’s consciousness to security in the country.

    Shittu said theme of the conference, “Kidnapping and Banditry: Understanding the Twin Menace” was carefully chosen to address and find workable solutions to security challenges confronting the state and Nigeria as a whole.

    The guest speaker, Mr. Segun Fanu, identified lack of institutional capacity, loss of communal values, weak security system, unemployment and poverty among others as reasons for a kidnapping and banditry in the country.

    The Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, advocated community policing as panacea to insecurity in the country.

  • Tearful bye for Fasoranti’s daughter

    Eleven days after she was killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen, the remains of Mrs. Funke Olakunri, the daughter of elder statesman Reuben Fasoranti, was on Monday buried at the cemetery of St. David’s Anglican Church Cathedral, Ijomu-Akure, the Ondo State capital.

    The emotion-filled funeral service was witnessed by eminent Nigerians, including governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo).

    Others at the service include: Ondo State Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, former governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Segun Oni (Ekiti), Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), Femi Fani-Kayode, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Chief Paul Akinyelure, Bishop of Igbomina West Diocese (Anglican Communion) Rev. Jide Adebayo, Bishop of Owo Anglican Diocese, Rev. Fagbemi and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, among others.

    In a 30-minute thought-provoking homily, the Bishop of Akure Anglican Diocese, Rev. Simeon Borokini, urged the people to always prepare for death, irrespective of their status.

    In his sermon titled: “Prepare to meet your God”, the cleric noted that there are two ways by which people will leave the world – either death in any form and rapture.

    Rev. Borokini described death as “inevitable”. Quoting from John, Chapter 14, he said every human being will taste death.

    According to him, death is not the end, but the beginning of another journey to an endless world.

    Read Also: ‘Fish out Fasoranti’s daughter’s killers’

    He stressed that only God can comfort the family the deceased left behind, especially her father, Chief Fasoranti and the widower, Idowu Olakunri.

    The cleric urged them to count on God, the Comforter, whom he said can turn their tears to joy.

    The cleric said: “Jesus is the only Comforter. So, we must all have Him. Unless we have Jesus, there is no comfort. Jesus is the only way to eternity. He is the only one that can guarantee eternal life for us. In Him, we have hope of eternal life.”

    He admonished the bereaved family to put their trust in God and rely on Him totally.

    Rev. Bokokini called on the government to tackle insecurity in the country, stressing that God will destroy every blood-sucking force in the country.

    The cleric asked: “Do we still have leaders in this country? Do we still have credible and dependable people who have integrity in this country? Why then is there no end to killing in this country? As a nation, we should look unto God for mercy and our government should do the needful?

    “We all have a limited time to spend on earth. It doesn’t matter how long we live, we will all die one day. Everyone, including governors, senators and the bandits, will give account of what they do on earth on the judgment day.”

    Describing the deceased as a “rare gem”, the cleric said: “We are gathered here today to bid our sister farewell. We have lost an icon in Ondo State and Nigeria at large.”

    The bishop prayed to God to grant President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders the wisdom to end insecurity.

    Rev. Borokini said: “No one is safe in this country again. We are living with threats of killing on daily basis.”

    During a condolence visit to Pa Fasoranti after the burial, the governors called on the Federal Government to introduce ranches for cattle rearing.

    Akeredolu, who doubles as the Chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, pointed out that his colleagues from Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos and Ogun states were fed up with the criminal tendencies of herdsmen.

    Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola was not in Akure on Monday, but Akeredolu affirmed that he had earlier spoken with him on their position and he accepted it.

    The governors assured that an end would come to insecurity in the region, with their efforts.

    According to Akeredolu, the governors have resolved to end killings and kidnapping in the zone. He regretted that forests are now hideout for bandits.

    Akeredolu said: “We will not destroy the forests because they are pride of the region; governments of the state states will further encourage afforestation.

    “In Ondo State here, I have directed the police commissioner to mandate his men to embark on 24 hours patrol, rather than being on the check points. Other governors in the region have done similar things to end the menace of insecurity in the region.

    “We are also calling for collaboration of all citizens in the fight against insecurity in the region.”

    Chief Adebanjo condemned herdsmen activities, urging the governors to collectively fight insecurity ravaging the region.

    Fani-Kayode said that the position of the governors, if fully implemented, would help in the fight against insecurity.

    “I pray the governors have the courage to present their position to President Muhammadu Buhari. If it is true that there are Fulani vigilantes operating in the Southwest and mounting roadblocks, then it is a recipe for disaster and a precursor to war,” Fani-Kayode said.

     

  • Oyetola inaugurates 228.5km rural roads, grants LGAs autonomy

    Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday, said the provision of good road networks is central to the agenda of his administration.

    He said his administration will continue to build and develop infrastructure in the state.

    Oyetola spoke at the commissioning of the 228.5km rural roads, rehabilitated and reconstructed under the Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project, at Akeredolu town, along Onikoko-Osi Sooko road, Ile-Ife, Ife-South Local Government.

    Governor Oyetola, who described infrastructure as the bedrock of socioeconomic development, pledged to fulfill all the electoral promises he made while seeking office.

    He said, his administration would continue to breathe life into every nook and cranny of the state and ensure proper construction, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads.

    Governor Oyetola said the decision to embark on mass rural road construction was in response to the citizenry’s popular demand.

    According to him, the roads were built to link rural communities with the nearest markets and urban areas, and boost the economy and social development of the people.

    He implored beneficiaries to cultivate good maintenance culture of the roads.

    He said: “Provision of good road network is central to the agenda of our administration as it breathes life into commerce, agriculture, economy, youth empower, security and the overall well-being of the state and the people.

    ”We are, therefore, happy to be here to make good one of the major electoral promises which is provision of good road network.

    ”Three hundred and eight (380km) rural roads are currently being fixed across the state, which is the second phase of the project implementation.

    ”Osun Road Access Mobility Project (RAMP) is involved mainly in construction and rehabilitation of earth roads. It gives consideration to road maintenance in order to make these roads to last longer. This is component two of the project.

    ”Under the arrangement, rehabilitated or constructed earth roads in use for more than 12 calendar months are mechanically restored to their good transport condition. Routine maintenance is also carried out by road maintenance groups all year round,” he said.

    The Project Coordinator, Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project, Adesola Adewumi, applauded the administration of Governor Oyetola for building infrastructure to secure a better future for the state.

    Read Also: Photos: Oyetola visits Osun illegal mining site

    He said, the agency has constructed several kilometers of roads to support the socioeconomic and political lives of the people of the state, particularly the rural dwellers.

    At the backdrop of his development projects, Oyetola has declared that local government Councils in his state operate freely without interference.

    He said it will be unfair for any governor not to allow elected chairmen at the local council level to decide what they want in terms of human, capital and infrastructure development.

    Oyetola said this, while he hosted the delegation of the Local Government Project Monitoring Team from the Office of the Secretary to the Governor of the Federation (SGF) at the Government House in Osogbo.

    He described the local government council as a critical arm of government that should work to deliver development to the people.

    ”I believe in the functionality of local government administration. That is why we have given all the local governments and the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) the independence to operate,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Buhari Support Organization (BSO), in the southwest, has pledged to work with the Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola, to give dividends of democracy to the residents of the state.

    At a press briefing in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the coordinator of the group in the southwest, Prince Felix Awofisayo, said the Supreme Court verdict, which affirmed Oyetola as winner of the September 22, 2018 governorship election, is also an endorsement of the expression of wishes of the Osun voters during the exercise.

    Describing the governor’s victory at the apex court as a testimonial of the doggedness and tenacity of the people of the state to pursue the progressive agenda, the group acknowleged that Osun is on the path of development.

    Congratulating Oyetola for the victory, he said the governor can now “leave behind him all distractions” and “use his God-given administrative talent and managerial sagacity” to improve the lives of Osun residents.

  • ‘I built my house with proceeds from robbery operations’

    A self-confessed  member of an alleged  notorious 10- man gang, Wahab Wasiu, says  he built a house with  proceeds  from  robbery operations.

    Wasiu and his gang were arrested after allegedly robbing  an unnamed motorcycle dealer in Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb, of N2 million cash  and mobile phones in his shop.

    They were picked up from different locations in Lagos and Ogun States.

    In police net are Musibau Ogunbiyi; Rilwan Olanrewaju; Wahab Wasiu; Akeem Hassan; Idowu Taofiq; Sadiq Alada; Razaq Isah; Tunji Kundus; Tijani Koyim and Ibrahim Olagoke.

    The gang is also said to specialize in robbing people who made large withdrawals at Automated Teller Machine (ATM) centres in different parts of Lagos.

    The modus operandi is that a member of the gang would visit a bank on his motorbike to monitor customers withdrawing  huge sums of money, and alert  other members who would then trail such customers and dispossess them of their money.

    Wasiu, 28, claims to be an aluminium technician.

    He said he took to armed robbery in 2017 after he was lured by one of his friends he named as Tunde.

    “There was a day he asked me to go to the First Bank at Idimu and stand beside an ATM machine and   monitor people  withdrawing  huge amounts of money,” he said.

    He added: “Whenever I have a target, I would call my motorcycle operator known as Akeem Hassan and we would trail the person. Tunde would later join us and we would rob the person of his money.”

    He said he had participated in robbing no fewer than eight people who had gone to make withdrawals from ATMs.

    “So far, I have trailed over  eight bank customers of  at Ayobo, Egbeda and  Ijegun.  I built a house with the money I made from robbery operations.”

    Another member of the gang, Ogunbiyi, alias Ogufe, from Iba in Ojo Local Government, told his interrogators that he lavished his own  share  of  the  proceeds  from the Abule Egba robbery on burying his father.

    According to his own narration, he trained as a mechanic, joined the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and was arrested  when  ”I went to fight for (the control of) a motor park at Alaba international market.”

    After spending one year at Kirikiri Prison, he was granted bail and went home.

    He claimed to have joined the Eiye confraternity  in 2010.

    He said: “After I was released from prison, I started looking for job and I couldn’t get any. I met one Tunde at a popular hotel in my area.

    “Tunde  is boyfriend to a girl in my area and he told me that he had a gun and was looking for connection to go for any robbery operation.

    Read Also: Three remanded for alleged robbery

    ”Three weeks after we met, Tunde said he had a robbery operation that he would want me to participate in.  I met him at Egbeda and we came with a motorbike that was operated by one Semo.

    “We went to Idimu and robbed a man who was walking along the road and we took the sum of N250,000 from the man.

    “Tunde had someone who gave him information about the man with the money and I got N70,000 as my share and he left with the rest of the money.

    “One month later, three of my friends told me they had information that an Igbo trader that deals in  motorbikes  was making huge sales daily and they wanted me to lead them to rob the man.

    “I told them that I had no gun for the operation but they persuaded me to use my contacts to get a gun. I told Tunde about the operation and he brought his guns and we all went and robbed the man and took away N2 milion from the man. I got N230,000 as my share, Tunde got N240,000 and we gave the remaining to the informants to share.

    “I went and buried my father with my own share of the money and I bought some cloths with the remaining money but before I knew it the police swooped on me and arrested me.”

    Olarinwajo, a 24 year old motorcycle operator said he became an armed robber through the influence of his friend Egufe.

    Olarinwajo who goes by the nickname  Starboy, said: “my first operation was at Liasu Road , Idimu and  I was the one that operated the motorcycle.

    “There was this   guy called Eni who was inside the bank and he monitored the man we robbed inside the bank. I don’t know the amount they collected from the man but I was given N30,000.

    ”The second operation was at Aboru,  Iyana Ipaja and it was my friend Sadiq Alabi that brought the job for us and I also operated one of the motorbikes we used for that operation. That day, we robbed the man selling motorcycles of N2million and I got N70,000 as my share.  I was the first suspect that was arrested by the police.”

    Alada, 22, the informant that brought the robbery job at the motorcycle shop said: “ I am  married with a child and I used to buy motorcycle from the shop of the man which I took my gang members to rob and I used to pay cash each time I bought a motorcycle from his shop.

    “It was my friend, Starboy that brought the idea that I should rob the man and he was the person that organized the whole operation. I was given N70, 000 after the robbery; I sincerely regret   getting myself involved in this mess.”

    In his confession, Raza Isah 31, said “I  have gone for three robbery operations and I  was the person carrying Tunde on my bike and Tunde used to give me N40,000 after each operation.”

    Hassan, 28, a native of Oshogbo, Osun State, who is also a commercial motorcycle operator said: “It was Eni-money that got me involved in armed robbery. I have gone out for five robbery operations with him and he used to pay me between N30,000 and N40,000 per  operation”.

    Koyum, 29, who hails from Ikire area of Osun State said: “I am a motorcycle operator. It was my friend called ‘Lastborn’ that lured me into robbery. We have robbed a bank customer at Aguda area of Lagos and collected money from a man. I was  given  a sum of N25,000  during my first operation.

    “In the  second operation, we robbed a man who came  out  of a branch of Zenith Bank in Apapa and I  got N25,000 as my share. Tunde who is my friend slept with my wife after he was released from prison.”

    Olagoke, 37, described himself as a former  armed robber.

    He said he was arrested by  men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja  ”and I have stopped being an armed robber.”

    He said: “I have robbed over three bank customers.  But I was arrested after  my last operation and I gave up armed robbery and joined a transport union.

    “It was Tunde that gave me the motorcycle and we were using it to work for the  union because we heard that some people wanted to attack the union”.

     

  • Osun to stop environmental pollution by regulating mining, says Oyetola

    Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has declared that mining activities will henceforth be regulated in Osun State.

    He spoke after seeing the level of environmental degradation caused by unregulated mining activities going on in many parts of the state.

    The governor was at Ifewara in Atakunmosa West Local Government to see a huge landscape that has been degraded by illegal miners. He was also at Ibodi in the same local government.

    According to the governor, the form of regulation will soon be decided.

    Oyetola told reporters after a tour of the illegal mining sites: “I am here to see things for myself. It is unfortunate that our land is being damaged and farming activity has been destroyed. With what I have seen, one cannot do farming here again because the land has been seriously damaged.

    “The grievous damage is the fact that the entire land space had been totally destroyed which hitherto could have been used for agricultural purposes and socio-economic development of our state.

    “The whole environment has been polluted by dangerous chemicals applied to explore gold. These chemicals are not only dangerous for human being, but hazardous to farming.

    “Though it is important for us to explore the possibilities in mining, it must not be at the expense of the welfare and health of the people.”

    He added: “Mining must be done with proper regulation, and in any case, what is going on here is purely illegal mining; they are destroying everywhere.

    Read Also: You are a worthy ally – Oyetola tells deputy

    “So, I am here to prevent what happened in the Niger Delta from being replicated here. We are not saying people should not do mining, but this has to be regulated.

    “Mining is a very sensitive thing. One cannot just do mining; there should be a proper environmental impact assessment report that will guarantee that such exercise will not resort to adverse effect on the livelihood.

    “So, what we have done is to see things for ourselves and also to come up with an informed decision.

    “We are committed to protecting our community, we are committed to protecting good environment for our people and we will not allow the means of their livelihood to be compromised.”

    The governor said his administration is putting reports together “because government cannot just take a decision on emotional reaction”.

    He added his administration would put the interest of the people first and also take appropriate action after the visit to all the sites.

    “We will sit down and review our report to come up with a law, but we can’t allow this thing to continue, and the action we will take will depend on the perception of the people as regards their interest.

    “As a government, it is our responsibility to guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizens while the people’s welfare should be the priority.”

    Adimula of Ifewara Oba Hezekiah Adeniyi Owolola implored the state government to accelerate its decision at putting the permanent solution to illegal mining in his area.

    The Loja of Ibodi, Oba Omisade Agboluaje, applauded the government for prioritising the security and welfare of the people.

     

     

     

  • Bandits’ omnipresence on Nigerian roads

    Sir: On Wednesday, June 12,  Adenipekun Ademiju, a staff member of Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun state embarked on a journey – of no return.  It was a quotidian day like any other, and there was nothing betokening tragedy. He boarded a bus from Osun town heading for Ibadan.  On the expressway around Ikire community, a group of bandits emerged from the stout bushes and pumped a volley of bullets into the bus. Ademiju was unlucky.

    On Friday, 58-year-old Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Reuben Fasoranti, a leader of Afenifere, was killed in a similar manner. She was coming from Akure and heading for Ore Junction when some bandits emerged from the cover of vegetation and pummelled her vehicle with bullets.

    Days before, there was a video in circulation showing the scene of a “sibling” crime on Ore road – cars riddled with bullets from bandits and commuters in a state of higgledy-piggledy. As a matter of fact, travelling on this road may now be the quickest exit out of the world of the living.

    But this tragedy is not selective. It is omnipresent. According to a report by the Vanguard entitled, ‘Kidnapping, banditry, killings: 133 highways of terror’, major roads in the six geopolitical zones in the country are swamped with the violent crimes of kidnapping, banditry and killing. Specifically, 133 highways were reported as routes of death.

    In the South-south, “28 major theatres of operation” were listed; in the North-west, 20 “dangerous roads” were reported; in the North-central, 33 “volatile roads” were listed; in the Southeast, 11 flashpoints were outlined, and in the Southwest, 41 “roads of terror” were reported.

    The report deduced the reason for the ubiquity of these bandits in these words: “Specifics show that there is little or no presence of security agents in places where crimes like kidnapping and banditry occur. Oftentimes, security personnel arrive at such places after suspected criminals must have concluded their operations.”

    We have a large swathe of unsecured spaces, and we have a diminutive number of security personnel to secure these spaces. Intelligence gathering is scarcely a yielding routine because of the disconnection between the police and the locals, who would rather want to secure themselves by forming vigilantes. This is the problem, and this is one strong point for the establishment of state police.

    Although I had argued against the establishment of state police; it is becoming ludicrous to hold this view, considering the intractable security challenge. Our security agencies are overstretched, kidnappings, banditry and killings are unabating; there is a cumulus of fear hanging in the air, and some Nigerians are resorting to self-help.

    Policing must be local because crimes have residency. But I maintain that even with this arrangement, the control of the local force must not be exclusively in the hands of governors.

    In addition, our police are obviously not very effective, but it will be uncharitable to put all the blame for the unchecked reign of terror on a force of which rank and file are unmotivated, badly trained and ill-equipped. The tardiness of the government in the face of this affliction cannot be discounted.  When it appears the authorities are now awake and ready to do their job, after a reckonable name becomes a victim of bandits, they slither into somnambulism as soon as the outrage tapers off.

    The current insecurity is depressing, but we must not for any reason make it about an ethnic group. Crime has no ethnic face. Individuals commit crime, not the ethnic group. And the motivations for crime do not come from the ethos of any group, but from personal greed and intent.

    I say again,  state/community policing, without exclusive governorship control, could be the answer to this malaise.

     

    • Fredrick Nwabufo, fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com

  • You are a worthy ally – Oyetola tells deputy

    Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has described his deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi, as a worthy and dependable ally.

    Oyetola stated this in a congratulatory letter to Alabi on his birthday. The deputy governor turned 54 on Friday.

    Oyetola said:  “Kindly receive warm compliments from my family, the government and the good people of the State of Osun as you celebrate your 54th birthday.

    Read Also: Labour hails Oyetola, Kyari, Mustapha

    “I join your family, friends, associates and well-wishers to felicitate with you on this occasion, coming immediately after the Supreme Court, the apex court in the country, reaffirmed our victory in the September 22 and 27, 2018 governorship election.

    “You have proved to be a worthy ally who is reliable and dependable as we march on in the huge task of bringing development to our people.

    “I wish to acknowledge the zeal, enthusiasm, commitment and determination that you have been exhibiting since we came on board on November 27, 2018.

    “As you celebrate this birthday, I wish you God’s grace, good health, sound mind and long life while you continue to contribute your quota towards the improvement of the lives of our people and the upliftment of our state.”

  • Lagos APC chieftain hail Oyetola’s victory

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State Toyin Balogun has hailed the Supreme Court judgment on the Osun State governorship election.

    According to him, the victory of Governor Gboyega Oyetola was a confirmation of the people’s will. Balogun added that the state could now witness progress and development because the Supreme Court had halted the quagmire to hold Osun people to ransom.

    “It is time to face the reality of building Osun State. I urge all and sundry to lend their support to good governance in the state,” he said.

    The Director, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, Osun State, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, has also congratulated Oyetola for his electoral victory.

    He said the verdict had settled the climate of political uncertainty that pervaded the state after the 2018 election.

    Oyeweso, in a statement, said all hands must be on deck to ensure the best for the state.

    Read Also: Oyetola promises to clear workers’ salary arrears

    The statement reads: “It is my pleasure and that of my constituency to congratulate Your Excellency on the reaffirmation of your mandate as the elected governor of Osun State by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “Like every stakeholder in the politics and governance of our state, I keenly awaited the court verdict to resolve the political uncertainly, and to the glory of God, the judgment came in your favour.

    “With the court distraction out of the way, I believe that you will put your private and public sectors experience to reposition the economy of our state. This will ensure good governance and the delivery of dividends of democracy.

    “I am sure that our state, under your watch, will soon become a model of good governance, sustainable infrastructure development and social welfare.”

  • Ijesa monarch to Oyetola: ban mining in Osun

    Paramount ruler of Ijesaland Oba Adekunle Aromolaran has urged Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to ban mining activities in the state.

    The Owa Obokun of Ijesaland spoke when he led obas, chiefs and political leaders in his domain on a visit to the governor to congratulate him on his victory at the Supreme Court.

    He said: “It is hoped that you will assist us to rid Ijesaland of the unwanted visitors in the guise of gold miners, whose influx into Ijesaland has been giving Ijesas great panic, fear and embarrassment. We want the governor and your government to put a ban on gold mining indefinitely.”

    He also urged the governor to give “favourable attention” to his area in terms of development, adding that appointment of traditional rulers in his domain without his consent as prescribed by Chiefs’ Law should stop to avoid rancour and other social problems.

    Ijesaland hosts the major mining sites in the state, where many of the displaced miners from Zamfara State are now operating.

    The Oba said the influx of illegal miners had led to displacement of farmers, whose farm lands and landed property are being destroyed by the activities of these miners.

    Read Also: Alaafin, Fasanmi, Wase congratulate Oyetola

    He promised that the traditional rulers would continue to lend their voices on things that will strengthen peaceful coexistence, unity and stability in the state.

    Oyetola said his administration would not relent in his efforts to stamp out illegal miners from the state.

    Hailing the efforts of the royal fathers at curbing crime and criminality, the governor noted that his government would continue to partner the traditional rulers and chiefs

    He added: “The issue of illegal mining has reached the front burner” and it is time to nip ugly incidents in the bud.

    “We are working assiduously to keep our state safe and to rescue our land from being damaged by illegal miners.

    “There is no doubt in the fact that the perpetrators are destroying our land, which could have been used for farming.

    “We are working so hard to come up with a law that will be regulating mining activities in the state. This will further attest to our commitment to the welfare of our people.

    “We understand the danger posed by this act and we are assuring our people of prompt action.”