Police commands in Oyo and Ogun states have embarked upon a joint restructuring of security apparatus around the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to forestall the increasing activities of criminal elements along the axis.
The Oyo State Command, the under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Adebowale Williams psc (+)fdc, is particularly restructuring the security apparatus around the Lagos/Sagamu/Sapade/Onigari Axis of the road.
The Oyo Police boss stated these in a release, AZ: 5250/OY/PPRO/VOL.6/158, dated 10 November, 2022, and E-signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adewale Osifeso.
The development was coming on the heels of the reported increasing activities of kidnappers and other criminal elements along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Oyo Police image-maker, stated in the release that both CP Williams and his Ogun State counterpart, CP Lanre Bankole, today (Thursday) embarked on “a strategic assessment of patrol and eventual deployment of assets around areas concerned.”
The Oyo Police Command also re-affirmed its commitment to leaving no stone unturned in ridding the state and its surrounding environs of undesirable criminal elements.
The move, CP William said, was “in a bid to proactively forestall future criminal occurrence along the highway, adding that, consequently, “the security architecture of both commands were also deliberately remodeled.”
The remodeling, he added was done with cooperation from adjoining state police commands “to deal decisively with criminal elements whose mindset is to use both states as a criminal hideout after being dislodged.”
In furtherance of the above, the Oyo Police Command advised the people of the state not to panic or agitate “as adequate deployment of tactical and operation assets would be seen swarming the axis.”
The “operation assets”, CP Williams stated, would be embarking on joint intelligence- led surveillance and aggressive patrols with adjourning states, “combing of forests alongside local hunters and vigilantes and permanent visibility policing measures intensified along the busy highways.”
He also encouraged private and public users of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway to go about their day-to-day activities without any form of fear of molestation or harassment from unscrupulous elements.
He assured that adequate security measures in its topmost capacity are on ground to ensure the safety of lives and property within the area.
While soliciting the cooperation of the people with the police in exchange of credible and timely information, CP William enjoined the people of Oyo State to eschew crime and criminality at all times.
“In cases of emergency, the Command can always be reached through these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (OYO STATE SECURITY TRUST FUND), and Oyo State Police Command emergency lines 07055495413 and 08081768614.
“The NPF rescue me app is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and i-Phone users, respectively,” CP Williams added in the release.
