The Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared
that his government will do everything possible to end kidnapping
and insecurity in the state.
This Makinde says will be done by working with all security
agencies including the newly-introduced Oyo State Security Network
Agency also known as Amotekun Corps.
The governor maintained that the safety and security of all
residents of the state remains a top priority for his government,
adding that his administration will work relentlessly to tackle
cases of kidnapping and insecurity.
Governor Makinde, who appreciated all heads of security agencies
for doing their best to secure the state, explained that the
government is already setting up proper information channels for
security agencies in the state in order for them to keep the
information flow simple.
The governor stated these while briefing newsmen at the
Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, on Wednesday, adding that the
government will go ahead to implement the N500 million MSME fund
and employment of 5,000 young persons into government agencies as
well as the engagement of youths into direct labour schemes to
tackle youth restiveness in the state.
He said: “The safety and security of all residents of Oyo State
remain our top priority. We will continue to work relentlessly to
tackle cases of kidnapping and insecurity in our state.
“We are also putting in place other policies to address
insecurity, especially with regards to youth restiveness. Last
year, after the ENDSARS protests, we talked about three things that
we will be doing to reduce youth unemployment and improve the
security situation in the state.
“We talked about the N500 million MSME fund that we will set up,
employment opportunities for 5,000 young persons across all
government agencies and the provision for the direct labour agency.
We could not do all of these towards the end of last year because
we had budgetary constraints.
“But now, we have put these schemes in this year’s budget and we
should be implementing them as scheduled this year.”
Governor Makinde, who warned that some individuals who want
Amotekun to fail had been assailing it with all sorts of
misinformation and fake news, maintained that the community
policing model remains the only way to solve the insecurity
challenge in the country.
He stated that the state will not sit idly and watch any
Amotekun operative operate outside the ambitions of the law and
that it would also not yield to blackmail against the new
agency.
He added that the state has identified that there is presently
some friction between the Amotekun and Nigerian Police in the
state, adding that the state will set up a committee to iron out
the frosty relationship between the two institutions and bring
about an alignment in their operations.
“Amotekun is not operating in a vacuum. They are a creation of
the law of the state. The Nigerian Police is a creation of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is normal that
we have inter and intra agency friction where possible, but we will
get everybody together and seek alignment towards the same end
basically,” the governor said.
He added: “For the past six weeks that the Amotekun was
deployed, we have seen various reports in the news. Most of these
reports are good and a few are bad. And of the bad, quite a number
are false information and fake news.
“For example, some newspapers carried the news that Amotekun
killed 7 fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa. “Such a story was circulated
to stoke ethnic tension. Even some reputable media fell for this.
Whereas, the real story was that Amotekun worked with the community
members, including genuine herdsmen to flush out bad elements in
that zone.
“It has, therefore, become necessary to put the good people of
Oyo State on high alert.
“Each time you see a news item, you want to ask yourself if it
is believable or just some no-good-people at work.
“I have to tell you that there are people among us that don’t
want Amotekun to succeed and they will use lies and disinformation
to push their agenda. We must realise where we are coming from and
where we really want to be.
“Community policing is the way forward and we have to make it
work. If somebody says he is abused by Amotekun and cannot pinpoint
the Amotekun personnel in such an area, you are probably not from
that neighborhood and you are a fake news carrier.
“So, as I always say, I know we do have trust-deficit between
the people and the authorities, and this makes it easier to think
the worst of people in authority. But we should not cut our nose to
spite our face. We must find a balance so that we do not turn the
people trying to protect us to our enemies.”
The governor charged anyone with a genuine case against the
members of the Amotekun Corps to come forward with their grievances
by using any of the feedback channels put in place by the
government.
The governor equally warned traditional rulers and village heads
against allocating lands to undocumented foreigners, stating that
some undocumented individuals had been contributing to insecurity
in the state.
He added that the state will soon provide documentation for
these individuals and especially miners and motorcycle/tricycle
operators, saying: “So, we are going to be providing some
documentation for them. Those who work in the mining site will be
documented and a Task Force is being set up to do this. We will
also be meeting with the heads of the association of Amalgamated
Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Owners, Repairers and Riders
Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN).
“I also understand that they also have a breakaway faction in
Oyo State. Well, we will be reaching out to the two of them to
ensure that we get them registered. So, this will go a long way to
address how some people are hiding under their platform to commit
crimes.
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“The option is very simple for us. It is either you get
registered and we know who are the operators or we regulate your
operation. We can say that after 6 p.m., we don’t want to see
okadas and tricycles on our streets. We have the power to do that
but how does that affect our economy? I personally believe that
they are filling a gap. If demands exist, we want them to maximise
the gains coming from their operation.
“But if they would not register their people, we will be left
with no choice than to just regulate the hours in which they
operate. So, I am hopeful that they will cooperate with us by
getting their people registered.”
Similarly, the governor addressed the resurgence in cases of
COVID-19 in the state and the country, saying that the virus is
still very much in the state and that residents must continue to
adhere to the protocols to prevent the spread while also following
the food advisory once released by the state to boost their immune
system.
He advised that individuals must show responsibility by owning
their actions.
According to Governor Makinde, the data available to the state are
not showing a second wave of the virus as the curve was never
flattened, explaining that the state tested about 20,000 samples of
people who were mostly sick or had direct contact with those who
had the virus between March and December 2020 with about 3,000
testing positive.
He stated that the state has equally conducted about 14,000
tests on people including those not showing any symptom based on
the NCDC guidelines between early December and January 2021 and
that 696 tested positive.
In all, he said that the state has conducted more than 34,000
covid-19 tests.
He said: “With recent happenings and talks on the second wave of
Covid-19, it becomes necessary that I address you. Let me start by
talking about the issue of this supposed second wave. I have always
said that all our responses to covid-19 in Oyo State will be guided
by data, science, and logic. So, as far as Oyo State is concerned,
the data we have is not pointing to a second wave as the curve was
never flattened.
“The data says COVID-19 is still very much with us. Science is
telling us that we can slow down the spread by taking precautions.
So, the logical thing to do is to follow what science dictates. We
know how difficult the year 2020 was for a lot of us. So,
logically, we should not do things that will make the situation
worse. This is not the time to let down our guard. If anything, we
should not take any of the precautions lightly.
“In the last month, we have unfortunately had eight deaths. Even
though many people have mild to moderate symptoms, it is severe for
a few, and since we do not know who it will be severe, we need to
keep our guard up.
“On our part, we are doing everything within our power to
provide more resources for the EOC to continue to manage the spread
of this disease. We are facilitating greater collaborations between
the laboratories, the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and our
Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo. We are also carrying out
training for private clinics/hospitals so they can follow the right
protocols.
“For those who may need oxygen, we are signing an MOU with a
firm for supply of oxygen and the use of their facilities if need
be. They already have facilities in the state and they are
providing oxygen at UCH. So, we are just asking them to factor Oyo
State into their production schedule.”
While speaking on the issue of COVID-19 vaccines, the governor
maintained that the 1,800 vaccines allocated to the state by the
Federal Government are inadequate, stating that the state will
engage manufacturers of Astra-Zeneca Vaccines when finally
certified fit for human consumption, as it has been said to be more
suitable for the state because of its storage instructions.
“On the issue of vaccines, the Federal Government, from what we
read, has allocated 1,800 vaccines for Oyo State. First, in Oyo
State, we don’t have a facility to store at minus 70 centigrade.
Again, this number is grossly inadequate. If you want to vaccinate
100,000 people out of a population of almost 200 million, it is not
going to make any dent.
“And Oyo State, which is a population of between 7-12million,
1,800 vaccines are not going to go anywhere. So, we are exploring
other means of getting these vaccines to our people.
“I have been advised by the experts that the Astra-Zeneca
Vaccine is more suitable for Oyo State due to storage instructions.
So, we are opening discussions directly with the manufacturer so
that we can get as many as possible for our people once it is
certified. For now, the protocol remains the same. Professor Alonge
and his team will continue to manage the COVID-19 situation for us
but what I will say to everyone is, you have to own your action. I
have to own my action too.”
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2021/01/15/well-end-kidnapping-and-insecurity-in-oyo-makinde-vows/
GLADYS, widow of former military administrator of Lagos and Imo
states, Real Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, on Thursday blamed her
husband’s death on a private hospital that was treating him.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
Mrs. Kanu told newsmen that the family had concluded plans to
fly the former naval officer abroad when the hospital’s medical
personnel said he had recovered.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
She did not name the hospital.
According to her, the late Kanu had not been sick for so many
years, prior to the last illness.
Asked about the former Milad’s last moment, Mrs. Kanu said: “He
didn’t really have any last moment because he has never been sick
all the years I’ve known him; never been in any hospital.
“We used to go for check-ups near our home in London, like twice
in a year, but not for him to be admitted to the hospital. He was
only sick for about 11 days. At the time I was trying to fly him
abroad with an air ambulance, the hospital where he was, was
telling me there was nothing serious, that he has recovered. They
kept giving false hopes and deceiving us.
“We got admission for him in a London hospital. We were
arranging the air ambulance before they (medical personnel) said
there was no need for that, that he’d recovered, only for them to
send me a message yesterday (Wednesday) that he had passed on.
“It wasn’t long enough. He was in the hospital for only 11
days.”
She said her last conversation with her husband was on
Monday.
She described him as an intelligent man.