The Chairman of Irepodun Local Government of Kwara, Mr Abdulazeez Yakubu, on Monday, convened an emergency security meeting in response to the recent abduction of three persons in Agbamu area of the council.
The meeting brought together representatives of law enforcement agencies, local security outfits, community leaders, and senior government officials to address the worsening security situation in the area.
Yakubu expressed grave concern over the growing security breaches, attributing them to complacency among security personnel after initial successes during the early months of his administration.
He said that security remained a top priority of his administration, warning that “criminals do not take breaks so neither should security agencies.
“Security is a serious business, and we cannot afford to relax.
“The local security forces must do everything within their powers to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped victims.
“The government does not encourage ransom payments, and we must prevent such incidents from recurring,” the chairman said.
He further urged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to security operatives, emphasising that security is a collective responsibility.
During the meeting, the prticipants listed critical challenges hindering their effectiveness.
These include inadequate weapons, poor funding, lack of government support for injured personnel, and other factors that often lead to the unconditional release of detained criminal suspects, who later target security personnel and their families in reprisal attacks.
A key concern raised was the lack of operational funds, with the operatives calling for government intervention in providing fuel, logistics, and ammunition to aid their operations.
Some officers also advocated for “decisive action on criminals”, especially those that show no restraint in attacking security personnel, while law enforcers operate under legal constraints.
Another concern was the alleged rivalry among security outfits, which manifests through the lack of coordination and collaboration among different agencies and groups.
According to them, voluntary personnel overtly show greater commitment and perform better than salary officers but are not given due recognition and support.
Female security operatives particularly highlighted the risks they face, saying that criminals have the identity of operatives.
They regretted that, on the contrary, security personnel often lacked intelligence on criminals and their activities.
At the end of the meeting, the participants resolved to double their commitment toward tackling insecurity in the area.
The council boss assured them that their concerns would be addressed, but called for immediate and coordinated action to restore peace and end further kidnappings in the area.
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