Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has announced major security reforms in order to address the threat to peace and security within the state school system and rural farm communities.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Malam Olawale Rasheed on Tuesday morning, the Governor made reference to intelligence snippets of deliberate mobilization of criminal elements to the rural areas of the state, stressing that such reports are alarming and pose serious concerns to the well-being of Osun people.
The Governor also noted that the administration is worried about reports that those behind the plot are targeting disruption of farming activities through kidnappings and attacks on rural farm settlements.
It was further revealed schools have also become targets, with abductions and attacks being orchestrated to undermine the implementation of the safe school initiative and the state’s multi-billion-naira infrastructure plan.
He said while a meeting of the state security council has been summoned, preliminary directives have been issued to school authorities to take precautions to enhance the safety of pupils and students.
The Ministry of Education and all education agencies have been ordered to review safety measures in Osun schools in line with the safe school initiative.
In specific terms, school principals and heads are expected to clear overgrown school environments and ensure close liaison with the Parents and Teachers Association to secure their school environments.
Furthermore, Adeleke directed the Food Security Committee to submit an interim report to enable immediate actions to safeguard farm security and protect farmers as the rainy season approaches, emphasizing the importance of practical and implementable measures in the initial report, including closer integration and mobilization of local hunters and forest rangers to safeguard farming communities.
He also announced plans to embark on major reforms of the Amotekun security force, expressing concern over internal rivalry, opposition penetration, and external intervention negatively affecting its operation.
According to him, the intention to reorganize Amotekun to make it a more efficient force that complements the efforts and operations of the police and other security agencies.
He assured the public that his administration has taken preemptive steps to secure our schools and farming communities, describing Osun as a peaceful state which will.not succumb to attempts to destabilize the peace and harmony among our people.
“I have summoned a meeting of the State Security Council to firm up all plans. I assure our people that I am on top of the situation. We are committed to securing our school, our farm, our society.
“No stone will be left unturned to disrupt plans of enemies of progress to plunge the state into crisis. I urge members of the public to inform security agencies of any unusual movement or activities across the state”, Governor Adeleke said
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