The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Muhammed Adamu has said the police Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team and patrol vehicles would be deployed in the South-West region.
Adamu disclosed this on Tuesday in Osogbo, the capital of Osun state when he addressed officers and men of the state’s Police Command. He said the deployments was the outcome of the just concluded the South West security summit held on Monday in Oyo state.
Adamu said: “A lot of decisions have been taken to enhance security in the zone. So far so good, the security situation in the south west is relatively controlled.
“We know we have some isolated cases of kidnapping and robbery here and there but we give credit to officers and men of the Police within the zone who have been up and doing in bringing down crime within the zone.
“We have agreed at the summit to reinforce and support you in performing your duties and have also resolved to send SWAT team to come and complement what you do.
“The SWAT team will be headed by a Commissioner of Police who will be deployed with vehicles mounted with technological gadgets to help you fight crime within the subregion.
“The Federal Government has acquired a lot of vehicles which will soon be commissioned and distributed.
“These vehicles are patrol vehicles that are supposed to make the highways safer.
“We are specifically ready to target the forests where there are bandits and kidnappers. So, that war can be taken to their den before they strike.
“The police have agreed with other stakeholders in the region to deploy technology to combat crime in the southwest states.
“We are aware of the shortage of men and this is the reason the federal government approved recruitment of 10,000 men every year to cover for the shortage.
“This year’s exercise is ongoing, it is not suspended, the process is going on and will soon be completed. The cadet has written test, completed the physical fitness exercise after which they would be taken to the police college to complete the process.
“It was also resolved to work with other securities; more or less like vigilantes to work with us and fight crime as the governors in the South-West have pledged to continue to support law enforcement agencies in their fight against crime by buying vehicles and other logistics so as to support the fight against the crime.
“I am delighted to note that the strategies jointly developed between the strategic community actors and the police which are currently being implemented have been effective in addressing the identified security threats in the geopolitical zone.
“This is evident by the fact that since the meeting, the rate of these crimes has not only dropped drastically, several bandits have voluntary renounced crime, submitted their weapons and released several victims that had hitherto been kidnapped and held in their camps across the zone.”
The Aare ona kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, in his speech, commended the Inspector General of Police and the governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde for the initiative in addressing insecurity.
Adams said he’s willing to partner with the police to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the region.
“Let me applaud the IGP for this laudable initiative, it is a welcome development that must be sustained. I want to also appreciate the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, who is the host governor, for making the best impact on the burning issue of insecurity in the southwest. Let me say it clearly that I am ready to support and partner with the police authority in ensuring that the spate of insecurity in the country, especially, in the southwest is reduced drastically. We have done it before and we can still do it.I am ready to complement the recent efforts of the police” he said.
