Oyebanji Presents Armoured Personnel Carriers, Vehicles, Gadgets to Police in Ekiti
Worried by the recent news of insecurity threats in Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji has donated two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), 10 operational vehicles and other security equipment and gadgets to the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Police to ensure safer and more peaceful environment in the state.
Presenting the vehicles and equipment during the weekend at the Fajuyi Pavilion in Ado Ekiti, Governor Oyebanji said that the vehicles were meant to assist the activities of the command and boost the morale of its officers and men, adding that the bedrock of good governance is peace and security without which no development is possible.
He noted that the security challenges facing the nation were enormous and urged the state command to be proactive and engage more in intelligence-gathering and community policing rather than allowing criminals to perpetrate their heinous crime before rising to the situation.
Oyebanji used the opportunity to commend men of the command for maintaining peaceful and safe atmosphere in the state with the assurance that his administration would continue to support all security outfits in the state to enable them function effectively and efficiently.
He said that his administration would not only overhaul and rejig the security architecture of the state but will also do everything within its capacity to provide necessary logistics and all they needed to function effectively and ensure that criminals were not allowed safe abode in the state.
Oyebanji said: “As we all know, the bedrock of good governance is peace and security without which no development is possible. It is in the realisation of this that we have paid a lot of attention to the security of lives and properties in the state. Aside from isolated cases of kidnapping incidences reported in recent time, the state has been relatively peaceful and remained one of the most secured states in the country.
“In spite of these exciting records of peaceful atmosphere, we recognised the enormous works that still need to be done to better enhance the security of lives and properties in the Nigeria state. We will therefore continue to evaluate security situation of the state and respond accordingly, more than ever, we are committed to the welfare and increased capacity of the security agencies to respond to security challenges.
“It is in fulfillment of this commitment that we have procured this equipment with the aim of strengthening security architecture to be able to respond more assuredly to any security challenge within the state.
“It is, therefore, my honour to present the following items to Ekiti State Police Command as the first tranche of our support to the command.”
The donation included ten units of patrol vehicles, two Armoured Personnel Carriers, 50 units of Helmet level 3a, 50 bullet proof vests level 4, 80 pairs of tactical boots, and 80 pieces of batons.
The governor implored the police to make judicious and maximum use of the equipment and ensure that the vehicles are properly maintained.
He also challenged them to work assiduously in developing capacity to combat kidnapping, burglary and other violent crimes that still occur in the state.
Oyebanji said that a similar gesture would be extended to other security outfits in the state, stressing that the Friday presentation of vehicles was the first in the series of other plans to support and elevate operations of security agencies in the state.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd.) commended the governor for all his efforts geared towards enhancing and ensuring security of lives and properties in the state.
In his response shortly after receiving the vehicles and equipment, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Dare Ogundare, said that the equipment would allow the police respond effectively and promptly to distress calls by citizens to security situations.
Thisdaylive.com
