OGUN State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday declared that his administration will demolish houses sheltering criminals or being used to perpetrate crimes.
According to the governor, the owners of such houses will be arrested and prosecuted as accomplices.
Abiodun’s threat followed the growing cases of banditry, kidnapping and other violent acts in the Southwest.
The governor said the administration would “smoke out the criminals” from their hideouts and make “hell looks like a child’s play” for them should they elect to hibernate in the state.
He vowed to arrest and prosecute them until they received their just punishment.
The governor, who spoke while briefing reporters about the security situations in the state, including the safe rescue of five persons abducted on August 1, assured that drones and other equipment would be deployed soon to effectively protect lives and properties.
In attendance at the security briefing were the state’s Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama and Director of Directorate of State Service (DSS) David Tuksa.
He emphasised that no part of Ogun State would 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 the township roads and inter-state roads.
According to him, the whole state security architecture would be restructured to ensure effectiveness.
He also emphasised that Ogun remains the industrial hub of the nation and has the highest concentration of industries, declaring that he would not allow anybody to frustrate it.
The governor said: “The three incidents are a test of our resolve and we have demonstrated in clear terms our strong commitment to ensure that our dear state will continue to be secured for our people and all those who have made our dear state their home.
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“Let me assure all our people that we are unreservedly committed to giving Ogun State and her people-focused and qualitative governance and we are committed to creating the enabling environment for a public-private sector partnership, which we believe is fundamental to the growth of this state and the individual prosperity of our people.
“In doing this, we do appreciate the very vital and pivotal role security plays. A secure environment is imperative to the promotion of investment; this is why we consider security as one of our topmost enablers in building our future together agenda.
“We will continue to ensure that people go about their legitimate enterprises and their businesses in a secure and safe Ogun State.”
Abiodun added: “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 and inter-state roads, we shall smoke them out, we shall arrest them and we shall hand over to the swift hands of justice.
“For people with legitimate businesses, let me assure that Ogun State will continue to be a paradise. But for people with criminal tendencies, hell for you will be a child’s play.
“In doing this, all of us who have decided to make Ogun State our dear home will have to cooperate and collaborate and synergise with our law enforcement agencies. We also have to support security agencies by giving them information about any suspicious movement of people. These criminals are not ghosts and they are not spirits, they are human beings, they live with us, they live within us, we should and we must fish them out.
“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 a hideout to criminals will not only be taken over by the State, but we will demolish them.
“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 alongside government officials and some of our longstanding retired law enforcement officers.”
In another dimension, there is a Southwest zonal initiative that will also have a wholesome crime-fighting apparatus
This will also be unfolded in the next couple of weeks.
“I want to thank our security agencies, particularly their leadership for their commitment, dedication, professionalism and gallantry, which have contributed in no small measure to the continuous peace and security that we have enjoyed in the state.
“For us as an administration, we will continue to collaborate with all our security agencies and together we shall build a strong future for Ogun State.
“We will not be stopped by any criminal or anyone whose motive is different from ours.”
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