Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said governors of the Southwest region will launch new security architecture in August to tackle insecurity in the zone.
Makinde, who spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving service in honour of his mother, Madam Abigail Makinde at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Yemetu, Ibadan, said Oyo State would also launch its security system before his 100 days in office.
A statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, quoted Governor Makinde as saying that the governors of Southwest states have been meeting to find foolproof solutions to the security challenges in the region.
Governor Makinde was reacting to a sermon of the officiating Clergy, Venerable Samuel Osungbeju, which stressed the need to curb insecurity in the country.
Osungbeju urged love and tolerance among Nigerians, adding that people should always show love to their fellow human beings.
Meanwhile, governors and leaders of the Southeast zone yesterday resolved to support Federal Government’s proposed community policing programme to establish Forest Guards in each state of the zone.
They would also set up a committee and a Centre for Integrated Security Monitoring and Intelligence (CISMI) to be located in Enugu and clear 50 metres into the bush of all roads to enable users have a clear view of roads ahead while travelling.
They also restated their earlier stand not to cede any land for the RUGA settlement programme in the zone, insisting that there was no land for the initiative.
Chairman, Southeast Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, who read the meeting’s resolution, said the zone would do everything within the laws of the land to protect lives and property of the people.
He stated that the proposed security committee would address safety of fuel pipeline routes to Enugu in order to ensure that pumping of petroleum products at Enugu depot resumes soon.
Umahi added that the forum discussed the comparative advantages of agriculture and its attendant benefits in the zone.
“It, therefore, resolved to set aside funds for our people who are interested in rice, cassava, cow rearing, piggery, goat rearing, poultry, fishery and other cash crops farming, among others,” he added.
