Makinde Restates Commitment To Safety Of Lives & Property, Charges Forest Security Operatives To Keep Oyo Forests Free Of Criminals

The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has assured that his administration will continue to do everything within its powers to protect the lives and property of the good people of Oyo State.

He added by assuring that every lawful step will continue to be taken to keep all parts of the State safe from criminal activities, stressing that there must be no safe haven for criminal elements in any part of the State, including its forests and remote settlements.

Governor Makinde, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Honourable Abayomi Fagbenro Bibire, gave the assurance during the official opening of the Zone 2 Zonal Headquarters of the Nigeria Forest Security Service in Iseyin.

Speaking on behalf of the Special Adviser, who was unavoidably absent due to other official engagements, the Director of Administration and Supplies of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, Mrs Adefunmike Oladebo, commended the Nigeria Forest Security Service for complementing the efforts of conventional security agencies, describing the establishment of the zonal headquarters as a welcome development that would further strengthen security across Oyo State and the South West.

According to the Special Adviser, forests have become one of the routes through which kidnappers and other criminal elements attempt to evade security operatives, making the role of the Nigeria Forest Security Service increasingly important in the country’s security structure.

“The men and women of the Nigeria Forest Security Service possess something that is difficult to replace because they understand the forests, they know the footpaths, they are familiar with the terrain, and they have built relationships with the surrounding communities over the years, and that local knowledge is a major advantage in the fight against criminality,” he said.

Bibire noted that although insecurity has become a challenge confronting many parts of the country and the world, Oyo State has continued to keep the situation under control through deliberate policies, prompt intervention, strong collaboration among security agencies, and recent Executive Orders 001 and 002 introduced by Governor Seyi Makinde to strengthen the security system.

He further stated that the State Government has built a healthy working relationship among the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Amotekun Corps, the Nigeria Forest Security Service, Operation Burst, and other security formations, leading to effective joint operations across forests, farm settlements, boundary communities, and other vulnerable locations.

He said, “No single security agency can do it alone, and that is why this administration has continued to encourage teamwork, investigative efforts, and regular joint operations because criminals do not respect boundaries, and those protecting our people must also work as one.”

The Special Adviser assured that Governor Makinde would continue to provide the support needed by security agencies through logistics, operational assistance, and every lawful means necessary to strengthen their capacity to respond to developing security challenges.

“Our security personnel put their lives on the line every day for the safety of others, and they deserve the support required to carry out that responsibility effectively because when security agencies succeed, the people are the ultimate beneficiaries,” he said.

Bibire, however, urged officers of the Nigeria Forest Security Service to remain proactive and sustain regular patrols within forests and other isolated locations, stressing that criminal elements must never be allowed to gain a foothold in any part of Oyo State.

He also assured law abiding residents that the State Government remains fully committed to their safety, declaring that anyone who chooses the path of crime would find Oyo State too difficult to operate in.

While reaffirming Governor Makinde’s determination to keep Oyo among the most peaceful states in Nigeria, he appealed to residents to support security agencies by volunteering timely and credible information on suspicious movements and activities, noting that useful information remains one of the strongest weapons against crime.

Speaking, the Oyo State Commander of the Nigeria Forest Security Service commended Governor Seyi Makinde for giving security the attention it deserves, saying the support his administration has continued to extend to security agencies has not gone unnoticed.

He revealed that the Governor has continued to give them every reason to remain committed to protecting lives and property, adding that the backing received from the State Government has strengthened the resolve of security operatives to spare no effort in flushing out criminal elements from forests and other vulnerable areas.

One of the defining moments of the ceremony was the presentation of an Award of Commendation to Governor Seyi Makinde by the Nigeria Forest Security Service in recognition of his contributions to the security of Oyo State, and the award was received on his behalf by the Director of Administration and Supplies of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, Mrs Adefunmike Oladebo, who represented the Special Adviser on Security Matters.

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