Kidnapping of Pupils: Makinde Confirms Collaboration with Law Enforcement

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Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

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Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says his government is working with security agencies to unravel Friday’s abduction of students at Ahoro-Esinele Community, Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

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Makinde said this on Saturday at the inauguration of the Oyo State Police Command Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), held at the command’s headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan.

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He said that his administration was also working on how to prevent future occurrences of such incidents.

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The governor, while sympathising with the relatives of those who lost their lives during the incident, said what happened was another reminder that the government must be proactive about security.

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He urged the state community leaders and residents to be vigilant and watchful of their environment and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.

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He further assured the public of the government’s commitment to combating crimes and working effectively with security agencies to secure the state.

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Makinde promised that the state government would continue to provide the required support to strengthen the collective capacity of security agencies in the state to protect lives and property.

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The governor described the VCRU initiative as the first of its kind in the South-West region.

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According to him, the initiative reflects the collective determination of the state government and security agencies to respond promptly and effectively to crime.

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He commended the Inspector General of Police (IG), Tunji Disu, and all the security agencies for their efforts in keeping the state safe.

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He expressed optimism that the initiative would succeed in its mandate to combat violent crimes while ensuring lasting peace, safety and stability in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

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In his welcome address, the State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Abimbola Olugbenga, ‎described the VCRU launch as a major policing reform initiative.

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The CP said the initiative aimed to strengthen public trust, enhance professionalism, and improve tactical operations in line with the I-G’s vision.

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‎He said the VCRU was created to replace former tactical teams as a more accountable, intelligence-driven, professionally trained, and human-rights-compliant unit.

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The new unit, he said, would be capable of responding swiftly to violent crimes and emerging security threats.

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He explained that officers were carefully selected from various divisions and formations across the state based on their discipline, operational experiences, competence and integrity.

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The police boss commended the governor for supporting security advancement and committing his administration to peace.

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He said that the institutional support from the government will continue to motivate security agencies in the state. (NAN)

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