Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday inaugurated the Osun Community Policing Advisory Committee to strengthen security delivery at all the strata of the local government areas in the state.
Oyetola, who described security as sine qua non to socioeconomic development of any society, said his administration has prioritised security as part of efforts to reposition the state and build a virile economy.
He said: “Effective security is the answer to our desire to deliver investment and industrialisation and achieve prosperity and the good life for our people. I therefore, urge the good people to embrace this initiative and work together with the new policing institution and the subsisting ones to achieve these dreams and further secure the state.”
Governor Oyetola expressed confidence in the composition of the advisory committee to complement the efforts of the security agencies in tackling insecurity in the state.
Oyetola said the idea of community policing is to make the people to own policing at the community level, participate in its operations and partner the conventional police to achieve effective and efficient security and safety architecture.
Governor Oyetola commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the right leadership and enabling environment that birthed the initiative. He also thanked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, for coming up with the initiative, saying it is “a creative and proactive solution to the pervasive security challenges in the nation.”
He implored the residents to “embrace this initiative and work together with the new policing institution and the subsisting ones to achieve these dreams and further secure the state.”
Earlier, Adamu applauded the state government for taking the security matter to the front burner since its inception.
Represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Osogbo, David Folawiyo, the IGP said the various support being given to the security was a strong motivation at ensuring efficiency and diligence to duty.
House of Assembly Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, said the establishment of community policing would go a long way to bridge the existing security gap and fill the vacuum in the security sector in the state.
On his part, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, extolled the state government for being alive to its constitutional responsibilities to guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizenry.