Rising crimes: You’ve been too lax about security, Ogun PDP slams Abiodun
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun State chapter, has slammed Governor Dapo Abiodun on his alleged lacklustre attitude towards combating crimes in the state, describing his weekend’s approval to recruit an additional 1,000 Amotekun personnel in the state, as dismal.
Governor Abiodun made the announcement of additional recruitment over the weekend during the passing-out parade of 690 Batch D trainees of the Amotekun Corps, pledging to further improve security across the state through this recruitment.
However, during an interview on Eagle 102.5 (Ilese-Ijebu) FM’s current affairs programme, “Frontline,” the state PDP chairman, Abayomi Tella, described the governor’s actions as passive, stating that his promises often went unfulfilled.
Tella expressed concern over what he perceived as the Abiodun-led administration’s complacency in handling state security, accusing the governor of merely copying the proactive security measures implemented by other South-West governors.
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Tella said, “now, after several years of successful Amotekun operations in other states, I hear that the governor has now deemed it fit to act, only after several crimes have already been committed in Ogun State.”
The comment followed recent concerns raised by Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on 6th January, regarding the influx of bandits fleeing military action in the North-West and seeking refuge in the South-West. While other states swiftly took action, Tella criticized Ogun State for its slow response, suggesting that the delay is putting the lives of residents at risk.
“Amotekun is functioning effectively and supporting the police in states like Oyo and Ondo. But in Ogun, the approach is limited to press releases and photo ops. It is only when a crime is committed, and lives are lost, that the authorities take action. Talk is cheap,” Tella stated.
The PDP chieftain further challenged the governor, urging him to take state security more seriously, and emphasized that securing the lives of citizens should not be treated as an afterthought. “It’s not just about talking about security, it’s about taking real action and protecting people’s lives,” he added.
Tella also emphasised that politics should not be a barrier when people’s lives are at stake. He stressed the need for Ogun State, given its strategic geographical location and borders with Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, and Ondo states, to establish local security arrangements that can address security threats proactively, instead of waiting for the uncertain long-term solution of state police, which could take several years to implement.
“We’ve been talking about state policing for how many years? We all know what it takes for a law to be passed in the Federal Level, are we going to wait for the next one, two, three years for state police, while our people are being killed, kidnapped, maimed, tortured? What is wrong with our local arrangement?” he asked.
Tella also called for the embrace of constructive criticism by all levels of government as a tool for national development and policy improvement.
