A civil society group, Centre for Social Justice and Public Protection (CSJPP), has tasked Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to bring the Armoured Personnel Carriers procured by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, back to active service.
The group expressed worry that none of the APCs was working as of the time of a press statement signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Akin Akanji which was made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday.
According to the group, the APCs have been grounded since the administration of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, while Adeleke has not also shown any move to make the security vehicles operational.
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The group chided the state government, security agencies and other stakeholders for allowing the contractor handling the Oke-Fia/Lameco road to dig drainage around the APC stationed in front of the Government House without moving it from the spot.
OSUN DEFENDER visited the area on Wednesday, and it was observed that the APC has been rendered immovable, because of the drainage dug in front of it.
The action and inaction of the state government on the APC in front of the Government House, according to the group, has shown that the Adeleke administration did not take security matters seriously.
CSJPP noted that even if the APC was not functioning, the government should have moved it away instead of allowing the digging of a drainage in front of it.
The group urged the state government to take the security of the state as priority, adding that it should provide more equipment for security agencies to fight crime.
“We want to call the attention of the state government to an embarrassing scene at the front of the government house where one of the Armoured Personnel Carriers procured during the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was stationed.
“It is unfortunate that the contractor handling the Oke-Fia/Lameco road could dig and also dump a heap of sand in front of the APC, thereby obstructing its movement from the spot.
“It is more saddened that the number one citizen of the state and his cabinet members, as well as stakeholders, are seeing this almost on a daily basis and they could not see anything wrong with it.
“Our security agencies lack adequate vehicles and equipment to fight crime and, unfortunately, this administration is not managing the ones on ground well, just like the administration of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
“As a group, we want to appeal to Governor Ademola Adeleke to make the APCs operational to enhance security of lives and properties.
When contacted for reaction, the Special Adviser on Security, Barr. Samuel Ojo, in a terse text message, said: “We are doing something about them.”
It would be recalled that the former two-term governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has part of his administration’s effort to mitigate crime, procured 25 sophisticated Armoured Personnel Carriers, and 125 patrol vehicles.
The move paid off as Osun was rated the most peaceful state during his time as the governor.
However, since his exit in office, the whereabouts of some of the APCs are not known whole some of them are faulty and abandoned by the Oyetola’s administration.
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
