Special Adviser on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Fatai Owoseni, has stated that Oyo and Ogun states are working to end kidnapping on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Owoseni, a retired Commissioner of Police, said progress has been made to that effect, adding that the two states are equally putting measures in place to ensure that such incident does not occur again.
He said this while speaking in Ibadan over the weekend, and maintained that deployment of security personnel to the axis is being streamlined by the two states.
He explained that, following the recent attack, extensive deliberation has been made between the Ogun and Oyo security teams to work out sustainable plan and ensure that criminal elements are brought to justice.
Owoseni further said the two states have intensified visibility on the road and have continued to restrategise, and declared: “We won’t leave any gap as we are also getting the commitment from Ogun State axis.
“Prior to the nasty and unfortunate incident we had two weeks ago, we have always put measures in place to ensure that that road is safe for commuters and, of course, it was even heightened when the two state governors met to put up a joint security task force.
“Aside the fact that security operatives, with the encouragement of the two state governments, are working assiduously to ensure that the criminal elements are brought to justice, progress has been made to that.
“We are also putting measures in place to ensure that such won’t occur again. We have intensified our visibility on the road. It was a random thing and for random cases of kidnapping, what matters most is visibility unlike targeted ones.
“We have strengthened our visibility on the road. We have continued to restrategise and ensure we don’t leave any gap. We are also getting the commitment from the Ogun State axis.
“We have taken further steps to follow the agreement of the two governors in the area of security by following it to the letter. The two states are talking.
“On Wednesday, we went to Ogun to ensure that we streamline our deployments. On Thursday, the delegate of Ogun State came to Ibadan to meet the Commissioner of Police.
“Even today (Saturday), we had an extensive deliberation, I mean the Ogun and Oyo security teams, to work out on how to sustain our plans and ensure that criminal elements are dealt with.
“We are looking at how we can be proactive. With what is in place now, such thing will be a thing of the past. We pray that God crowns our efforts. We are working together to ensure that whatever that is put in place is sustained.
“We are looking for ways to optimise the local elements which is the informal sector within that community in tandem with traditional rulers,” Owoseni added.
