Stop shielding criminals – Ajimobi to Nigerians

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By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Monday tasked eminent personalities in the country particularly the politicians to be security conscious and stop shielding criminals in the society but start exposing them.
The governor while speaking at the inauguration of the Oyo State Eminent Persons Forum at the Police Heaquaters in Eleyele, Ibadan, declared that the time has come for eminent citizens such as traditional rulers and captains of industry to forget about shielding or sparing criminals for personal or selfish reasons but rather expose the criminals so as to rid the society of criminal activities.
Speaking through his deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, Governor Ajimobi pointed out that most of the eminent persons not only in the state are the one who usually pick their phones to call security agencies to release their men for personal reasons.
“As traditional rulers, politicians, captains of industry, professionals we know who are criminals, it is the eminent persons that usually call the security agencies to release criminals. Please let us expose them in the interest of the state,”he said.
The governor also emphasized the need to protect the welfare of the police, saying, “in some circumstances, they also have to save their lives. It is the responsibility of all of us, all of us have responsibility to expose those criminals we know”.
“When you talks about the developed countries, it is not the police that go after criminals, it is the technology, let us make emphasis on modern technology, we can also have traditional ways of exposing criminals so that things can also work”.
While assuring the police of the Oyo state government continue support in tackling crimes in the state, he said,”I want to assure you that Oyo state government will continue to support the police so that we can have peace in the state. There is no any other job for the government than to protect the lives and property in the state, we are ready to continue to ge the state secured”.
“I am appealing to the eminent persons to support the state also, you are aware we have a security trust fund, government cannot do it alone, let us make sure we are security conscious”.
Speaking at the inauguration, ,Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi said the forum was in line with the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim to state police commands to constitute Eminent Persons Forum in their respective states across the country,saying, “Eminent Persons Forum, as the name implies is an assemblage of very eminent personalities who in their individual capacities as opinion moulders have influence in their various areas of human endeavours”.
According to CP Adegbuyi, those in eminent persons category “are top government functionaries, retired Justices, Senior military and Police officers, traditional rulers, Chiefs, School administrators, Labour union leaders, Transport union leaders, Lawyers, reputable Journalists, Religious leaders, Leadership of farmers and herdsmen, market leaders and other prominent persons in the state”.
“It is expected to serve as an intervention forum saddled with responsibilities of control, management and resolution of crises/conflicts and taking measures to prevent crimes through the instrumentality of alternative dispute resolution as a veritable tool for maintenance of peace, unity and law and order in their communities”.
The Police Commissioner stated that additional two or three Area Commands is to be added to the existing four Area Commands in Oyo State in line with the efforts of the Police to ensure security of lives and property in the state.
“Apart from the creation of additional local government by the state government, we want to sincerely put it on record the stand of the Inspector General of Police on zero tolerance for corruption.

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