A group, The Kwara Progressive Media Organisation (KPMO), has kicked against the calls by Kwara4Kwara, a coalition of loyalists of Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, for declaration of state of emergency in Kwara.
KPMO dismissed the calls as callous and unpatriotic, saying security matters should never be politicised by well-meaning individuals and organisations.
KPMO Focal Person Usman Lade, in a statement on Friday, said:
“The call for declaration of state of emergency in Kwara state has positioned Kwara4Kwara as an enemy of democracy and rightly placed them as a group that is ignorant of happenings in Kwara State.
“Anyone with sincerity of purpose and not out to play politics with the lives of Kwarans would acknowledge the efforts being put in place by the Kwara State Government and the security agencies to guarantee safety of lives and properties in the state.
“To set the record straight, the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq led administration purchased and presented 20 new patrol vehicles and dozens of bulletproof vests to security agencies in the state, a gesture meant to strengthen rapid response, curb crimes and make the state safer.
“It is worthy of note that the Kwara State Government between 2019 and now has not only supported the security agencies in the state through the donation of operational vehicles and other security facilities, the government has also contributed to the welfare of the officers in a way not seen before in the state; a gesture evident in the renovation of some blocks and provision of pipe water to apartments in the mopol Barack along old Jebba road, Ilorin, and elsewhere.
“Also worthy of mention is that the Kwara State Government in partnership with the security agencies and local vigilantes in the state have been recording success in their clampdown on criminals in the state. These efforts have been successful with the arrest of criminals in the state.
Specifically, it is pertinent to remind the people of the state that the State Government in collaboration with security agencies launched an offensive mission in Kaiama, Baruten, Isin, Ifelodun, and Ekiti Local Government Areas in the efforts to smoke out criminals from the areas for the safety of lives and properties of the citizens.
“This amongst many other security operations have been put in place by the Kwara Government and were well-publicized. Similar efforts have been deployed in fighting cultism in some institutions in the state.
Recently, the Kwara State Government extended its commitment to protecting the lives of Kwarans by going as far as working with the parents of some students and security agencies who were abducted along Kaduna road, a state outside Kwara, to secure their release. This development can be testified to by various leadership of Kwara State students associations who were also involved in the success of the operation.”
The group added: “Government can take down many criminals without necessarily making noise about it because of the sensitivity of the issue. This strategy has been very useful and result-driven.
“The issue of security is a national concern. However, we want to say clearly that the Governor is working hard to secure the lives of citizens and we should all join hands with him to ensure that criminals are exposed, rather than making political comments capable of heating up the system. We would also like to encourage Kwarans to be security conscious and report any case of criminal activity or suspicious movements to the nearest police station and authorities.”