Makinde, Abiodun Hold Maiden Joint Security Meeting
Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde and his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun, held an inaugural joint security meeting in Abeokuta, with a vow to end banditry and kidnapping in boundaries shared by the two states.
The two governors spoke while flagging off the joint meeting and emphasised the centrality of security to the achievement of socio-economic development.
Governor Makinde, while speaking at the meeting held at the Presidential Lodge, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the two states initiated the collaborative effort to checkmate the growing rate of crimes such as kidnapping and banditry.
Makinde, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said: “We came here to initiate a collaborative effort between our two states because it is the right thing to do and absolutely important we do it.
“In recent times, we have seen cases of kidnapping. So, if it is not a big concern to the leadership of the two states, then we won’t be here also with our service commanders because we have quite a bit to do.
“My brother and I have an absolute commitment to the security of lives and property within the two states. We have experiences across the states.
“What this meeting will do for us is to be able to share these experiences and look at those decisions we can take jointly to improve the security situation in our states.”
At the end of the meeting, the two states resolved to frontally tackle insecurity challenges, including crimes such as kidnapping, banditry, fraud and ritual killings, among others, by setting up a high-level joint security committee to oversee security matters along the boundary communities in the two states.
The meeting agreed to set up a Joint Border Security Task Force with membership drawn from various security agencies in each state, to patrol boundary communities and ensure security of lives and property for residents and commuters.
It equally resolved that members of the task force would be trained and oriented on the rule of engagement to prevent unwholesome practices.
It added that collaboration on emergencies/distress calls on the highways in the two states, intelligence-gathering and sharing on security issues, and effective engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders, including the Federal Government will also come with the joint security effort.
Speaking at the meeting, Governor Makinde said he is a believer in structural reform in the security, politics and economy of the country and commended Abiodun for the infrastructural drive that is connecting cities with the state.
He noted, however, that the two states and the South-West zone must begin to think about how to connect major cities across all the states so that the zone could become a corridor of development.
Makinde said: “I am a believer of structural reform not just only in the security area but in our polity and economy.
“When I was coming and drove on that 44km road, the interchange, I told my brother that, yes, we are connecting cities within our state but we must now think beyond that.
“We must start thinking of how to connect major cities within our states so that when we look at the South-West zone, we see it as a corridor for development. He agreed with me 100 per cent because we have seen it in other places.
“I saw the estate midway between the interchange and here and people have already been moving in there. So, if one can stay there and work in Lagos or Ibadan or Abeokuta, that is how we create a development corridor.”
Similarly, the Ogun State governor, Prince Abiodun, said the joint security meeting is deepened in history, common heritage and cultural affinity.
He noted that the realisation of the need to put a stop to the recurring challenge of herders/farmers clashes, kidnapping and other nefarious activities around boundary communities in the two states, led to the institution of the collaborative effort.
Abiodun added: “This collaboration is peculiar not just because Oyo State is our neighbour, but the largest by land mass of the six South- Western States and the political capital of the Zone. Thus, whatever happens in Oyo State could easily have ripple effects on the other five states.
“No doubt, each of our two states has its peculiar security challenges which the respective state government have been tackling through internal security architecture.
“We appreciate the fact that there is no way development in one of our two states will not have a spiral effect on the other state, especially through our border communities.
“We must jointly and quickly find ways to cooperate, collaborate and find solutions to the various security challenges in these communities. This is why today’s bilateral meeting is very timely.
“With this partnership between our two states, an enduring peace and security that will promote sustainable economic development that will engender individual prosperity of both our people in Ogun and Oyo states.”
A communique was issued at the end of the joint security meeting and signed by the duo of Makinde and Abiodun.
The communique indicated that the joint security was at the instance of the two governors and that it was convened to discuss common issues affecting the safety of lives and properties in the two neighbouring states.
