Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has assured the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the state that his administration will not stop providing support required to strengthen their collective capacity to protect lives and property in the state.
He gave the assurance during the inauguration of the Oyo State Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the Oversight Committee, held at the Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Saturday.
Makinde described the initiative as the first of its kind in the South-West region of the country, noting that it reflected the collective determination of government and security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
He lauded the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu, and also appreciated all the security agencies in the state for their efforts in keeping the state safe.
Makinde expressed optimism that the VCRU would succeed in its mandate to combat violent crimes and ensuring lasting peace, safety and stability in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
Reacting to the recent abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, the governor sympathised with the relations of those who lost their lives.
Makinde further stated that the incident, which occurred on Friday, was another reminder that the government must be proactive about security.
He declared that his government has been working with security agencies to get clarity on what happened and how to prevent future occurrences.
The governor urged community leaders and residents of the state to be watchful and vigilant about their environments and report suspicious activities promptly to security agencies.
Makinde further assured the people of the state that his government would continue to demonstrate commitment to combating crimes and working effectively with security agencies to secure Oyo State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the state Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, described the launch of the VCRU as a major policing reform initiative aimed at strengthening public trust, enhancing professionalism, and improving tactical operations in line with the vision of IGP Disu.
He explained that the VCRU was created to replace former tactical teams as a more accountable, intelligence-driven, professionally trained, and human-rights-compliant unit, capable of responding swiftly to violent crimes and emerging security threats.
The Commissioner of Police added that officers were carefully selected into the unit from various Divisions and formations across the state based on their discipline, operational experiences, competence and integrity.
He equally commended Governor Makinde for his administration’s support for security advancement in the state.
He noted that the commitment of the state government to peace and institutional support has continued to motivate security agencies.
In their separate goodwill messages, Coordinator, Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, Mogaji (Dr) Nurudeen Akinade and Oyo State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Abayomi Ogundele, said the initiative marked a significant step towards strengthening public safety.
They added that the VCRU also demonstrated the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring security of lives and property of the citizens.
They commended the Oyo State Government for putting in place a good security architecture to combat crimes and for promoting cordial relationships among the security agencies.
