General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Onubogu, assured on Monday that the Army would play its part in preventing a recurrence of Saturday’s invasion of the Oyo State Secretariat by Yoruba nation agitators.
Onubogu gave the assurance during a courtesy call on the Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, at the governor’s office in the state secretariat, Ibadan. Describing the invasion as unfortunate and orchestrated by self-acclaimed irredentists, Onubogu said it was baffling that there were still people in the South-West intent on challenging the situation in the zone.
However, he said the Army had taken note of the security gaps that prompted the invasion and would ensure interagency cooperation to guarantee security in the zone. Noting that the intent of adversaries of stability in the zone had been made clear, the Army GOC said there was a need for a preemptive posture to curb such agitation in Oyo State and other states.
Onubogu added that the Army was also aware of the need for constant operations at the Old National Park and parts of the Oke-Ogun area of the state, which are prone to incidents of kidnapping, illegal mining, and other criminal acts. He demanded that the government increase logistics and allowances for security agencies to enhance their effectiveness in combating security threats.
Governor Seyi Makinde commended security agencies for their timely and massive response that overwhelmed the invaders at the Oyo Secretariat. He assured that the government is keen to close the security gaps identified in the wake of last Saturday’s invasion and in other parts of the state.
Beyond kinetic responses to situations like that of Saturday, Makinde said the government was also aware of the need to address other issues such as hunger and anger that make people vulnerable to being tools in the hands of criminally minded individuals.
He emphasised that the state government would maintain the cordial relationship it has with security agencies and stressed that the government must not only win wars but also win peace in the state.
Speaking on Monday on a Channels Television program, Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, Mr Fatai Owoseni, disclosed that security agencies had busted the hideouts and cells of the Yoruba nation agitators in Ibadan. He mentioned that from the operation, there have been more recoveries of various items purchased by the Yoruba nation agitators to carry out their mission.
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While acknowledging that security agencies may be accused of intelligence failures, Owoseni said residents also share the responsibility for security and have a duty to report to security agencies what they observe in their environs. He mentioned that security agencies had received information about the movement of the Yoruba nation agitators prior to the invasion.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the state secretariat as personnel from Amotekun, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, and Operation Burst were strategically located in and around the secretariat on Monday. This heightened security is in response to last Saturday’s invasion of the secretariat by Yoruba nation agitators.