By SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, sounded a note of warning to landlords and property owners in the state to be wary of criminals who use their properties as hideouts to perpetrate their dastard act.
Abiodun warned that any landlord or property owner found culpable of harbouring criminals would not only be arrested and be treated as accomplice, but such person’s property would be demolished.
The Governor made the disclosure in company of the State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama and Director of State Security, Mr. David Tuksa, during a press briefing held at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the State capital, following the recent cases of kidnapping on Expressways across state.
He said that no part of the state would be a safe haven for the criminals and criminality including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Benin-Ore Expressway and Abeokuta-Sango Expressway as well as township roads and interstate roads.
Abiodun also reiterated the relaunching of the State Security Trust Fund to provide required funding for security agencies in the state, saying that it would consist stakeholders, government official and some longstanding retired law enforcement officers.
The Governor urged the people of the state to work together with security agencies and give them vital information about criminals and criminality in their areas, saying that all hands must be on deck for adequate security of lives and properties of the citizenry of the state.
He commended security agencies, especially the police for their efforts in rescuing the abducted victims which included a Deaconess of the Redeemed Christain Church of God, Mrs Chidinma Ibelegbo, assuring investors and people of the state of business and investment friendly environment.
Noting that his government would not condole any form crimes in the state,
Abiodun said ” Let me use this opportunity to sound this very strong note of warning to our landlords and any property owner, that any property or facility found to be serving as hideout to criminals will not only be taken over by the State, but we will demolish them. The landlords will also be arrested and handed over for prosecution for harbouring criminals, we will consider and treat them as accomplices.”
“Let me state in clear terms that no part of Ogun State will be a safe haven for criminals and criminality in whatever form whether on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Sagamu-Benin-Ore expressway, Abeokuta-Sango expressway or even our township roads, inter-State roads, we shall smoke them out, we shall arrest them and we shall hand over to the swift hands of justice.”
“We are working forwards strengthening our security apparatus in the State. We are reorganising the Ogun State Security Trust Funds and it will comprise key stakeholders along side government officials and some of our longstanding retired law enforcement officers.”
“The three incidents are a test of our resolve and we have demonstrated in clear terms our strong commitment to ensure that our dear state will continue to be secured for our people and all those who have made our dear state their home.”
“Let me assure all our people that we are unreservedly committed to giving Ogun State and her people a focused and qualitative governance and we are committed to creating the enabling environment for a public private sector partnership which we believe is fundamental to the growth of this State and the individual prosperity of our people.”
“In doing this, we do appreciate the very vital and pivotal role security plays. A secure environment is imperative to the promotion of investment, this is why we consider security as one of our top most enablers in building our building the future together agenda.”
“We will continue to ensure that people go about their legitimate enterprises and their businesses in a secure and safe Ogun State and we will not be stopped by any criminal or anyone whose motive is different from ours.” he added.
On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Makama assured the people of the state of adequate security, saying that investigation was ongoing on the arrested kidnappers.
