Osun LG chairmen donate 60 patrol vehicles to tackle insecurity

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, comprising chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, on Saturday presented 60 patrol vehicles to security agencies in the state.

The presentation was made at the Osun State Command Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Osogbo by the association’s chairman, Samuel Idowu.

Idowu, who recalled the previous donation of 30 patrol vehicles to conventional security agencies in the state, said the initiative was a demonstration of the association’s commitment to the safety, security, and well-being of the people.

“Just few weeks ago, we were here to unveil the distribution of the patrol vehicles and I am glad to inform this gathering that the remaining of the vehicles are here for distribution aimed at strengthening the security, maintenance of law and order in the state. This is indeed, ‘a promise made, a promise kept.’

“Security remains the bedrock of any meaningful development anywhere in the world. Without peace and stability, no society can thrive, and no government can achieve its developmental goals hence the bold steps taken by the leadership of our councils to support the security formations in the state,” Idowu said.

He said the council areas in the state were able to pool resources to execute the initiative due to the autonomy they enjoy following the landmark Supreme Court judgment.

Idowu further said, “Autonomy enables us to act without undue delays, to design solutions that are tailored to our local realities, and to take responsibility for the security and welfare of our communities.

“As council executives, we are now better positioned to initiate and execute people-oriented programmes such as this distribution of security patrol vehicles. This is a clear testament to what can be achieved when governance is brought closer to the grassroots and when local authorities are trusted with the resources and responsibility to act.

“The provision of these patrol vehicles is therefore not only a security intervention but also a practical demonstration of the effectiveness of local government autonomy in Nigeria particularly in Osun State. We are donating 60 vehicles today. But we earlier donated 30 before today making 90 in total.”

He urged the benefiting security agencies to deploy the vehicles judiciously and maintain them properly.

Responding on behalf of the benefiting security agencies, which include the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, commended Osun ALGON for the intervention.

Gotan, who said security remains a shared responsibility, noted that ALGON’s investment demonstrated confidence in the ability of security agencies to continue delivering effective service to the people.

The CP further said, “These operational vehicles will significantly improve mobility, response time, patrol coverage, intelligence-led operations, and inter-agency collaboration in combating crime and maintaining public order.

“As beneficiaries of this support, we assure members of the public that these assets will be deployed judiciously, maintained properly, and utilized strictly for the purpose (security) for which they are intended; which is to safeguard lives and property and ensure peace across Osun State.”

The PUNCH reports that different conventional and non-conventional security organisations in Osun State had earlier received a donation of 300 motorcycles from the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria to enhance their operations.

Receiving the donation at the Osun State Command Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Osogbo on behalf of the benefiting organisations, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, commended President Bola Tinubu over the financial autonomy granted to local government areas in the country.

The CP, who said the donation would enhance the operations of the security agencies in the state, added that collaboration and support from all stakeholders would be required to surmount the security challenges facing the country.