Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged residents to remain calm despite rising banditry incidents in neighbouring states, assuring them that his administration is taking proactive steps to secure the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke encouraged residents not to panic but to stay vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.
He praised service chiefs and security operatives for what he described as their proactive actions to forestall infiltration by criminal elements. According to him, several security meetings were held in recent weeks to strengthen preventive measures, noting that “a plan of action to secure Osun State has been under implementation for the last three weeks.”
Adeleke highlighted his engagements with key security leaders, including the Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Army Commander, and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), stating that boundary communities have also been mobilised to enhance vigilance and boost local capacity to repel threats.
He added that top national security heads — the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of State Security, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Commandant General of the NSCDC — have given “particular supportive attention to Osun State.”
“Security deployment is ongoing in strategic areas of concern across the state. The intelligence community already has a deep overview of security threats or otherwise in Osun. We cannot stop commending the DSS for the arrests of high-profile terrorists and the bursting of their cells in Osun,” he said.
Reiterating that residents should not panic, the governor appealed for cooperation:
“Our security agencies are on top of the situation. My only appeal to us is to provide credible information and alerts if and when we notice any strange movements in our community. Our local vigilantes, local hunter groups, and the Amotekun security services are to work closely with the police to strengthen the safety and protection of our people.”
Adeleke also directed Amotekun operatives to maintain close coordination with the police and other agencies, stressing the need to adhere strictly to established security protocols to safeguard communities.
On the pending local government issue, the governor said stakeholders are awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision, adding, “We must remain law-abiding as we are all resolved not to take the law into our hands.”
He also addressed the ongoing judicial impasse in the state, expressing confidence that the judiciary would resolve its internal issues without executive interference. He assured residents that governance remains uninterrupted, citing recent gains in digital innovation, economic empowerment, workers’ welfare, and infrastructure development.
“I appreciate the deep support for our administration among Osun people. Your prayers and outpouring of encouraging messages strengthen our resolve not to waver despite challenges. We remain with the people to continue to deliver good governance and democratic dividends,” Adeleke said.
