Kidnapping: Ondo seeks support for security reforms
The Ondo State government has called on residents and traditional rulers in the state to support ongoing security reforms aimed at protecting the lives and property of the people amid
The Ondo State government has called on residents and traditional rulers in the state to support ongoing security reforms aimed at protecting the lives and property of the people amid the rising security concerns in parts of the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, appealed while speaking on "Public Square," a radio programme aired on Adaba 88.9 FM in Akure and monitored by The Nation.
Ajanaku said that effective security management requires the active participation of communities, stressing that the government cannot tackle emerging threats without grassroots support.
He asked the traditional rulers across the 18 local government areas of the state to collaborate closely with security agencies to address security breaches.
According to him, although the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has largely maintained peace since assuming office, recent isolated kidnapping incidents have been traced to criminal networks operating within certain communities.
"To curb the trend, the government has introduced restrictions on commercial motorcycle operations between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.," he said.
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He reiterated that all commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders) have been directed to register within two weeks to enable security agencies to identify legitimate operators and weed out criminal elements.
Ajanaku also disclosed that the government has begun regulating the activities of "truck pushers, roaming the streets as scavengers in Akure metropolis, after investigations linked some members of the group to information leaks that aided criminal operations.
To address the security challenges, Ajanaku added that the state government has recruited no fewer than 500 additional personnel into the Amotekun Corps to strengthen community-based security operations
He explained that the new operatives have already been deployed to their respective communities to improve intelligence gathering and reinforce the state's security architecture.
