The Ogun State Government has deployed 10 patrol vans and 20 motorcycles in the Yewa axis of the state as part of efforts to check the farmers and herders clashes in the area.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, at the presentation ceremony in Abeokuta, on Tuesday, said the measure was a fulfilment of his promise to return peace to the crises affected areas in the Yewa axis.
Abiodun recalled that when the crisis broke out few weeks back, he had constituted a Joint Special Security Intervention Squad as well as a high-powered government delegation to mediate between the two parties.
He also recalled that he promised to support the task force with operational equipment and other necessary logistics support needed to accomplish its task.
The governor noted that the people of the area who lived close to the border area of the Republic of Benin usually had difficulties making distress calls in times of trouble.
He explained that the state had been having series of meetings with telecommunication firms adding that plans are in top gear to deploy more masts to the area to address the issue.
Abiodun explained that the equipment were meant only for the Yewa axis adding that same measure would be replicated in other parts of the state should there be a need for such.
He called on the people of the state to stop ascribing crime to a particular ethnic group, saying that “a criminal is a criminal regardless of where he comes from.
The governor noted that proliferation of fake news had also contributed to deepen the crises in the area.
He described as falsehood recent reports that some 5,000 Ogun indigenes had escaped to seek refuge in the Republic of Benin because of the crisis.
“I wonder who took the census and how that can take place without meetings between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
“Some who came to Abeokuta because of the crisis were provided with free accommodation and so I wonder why some people would just sit down somewhere and be cooking up untrue stories,” he said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, in his remarks, commended Abiodun “for a promise kept”.
He assured that all security agencies were committed to restoring peace to the area.
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