The Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has launched the Kwara State chapter of the Oodua Dependable Security Team.
The event, held at the Imperial Event Centre, along Offa-Ira Road in Offa, Kwara State, took place on Friday.
The initiative was in continuation of the Generalissimo’s efforts at securing Yorubaland from the spate of insecurity raging the South West region.
The security initiative has been launched in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun States as an immediate response to the various cases of kidnappings and killings across the region.
In his remarks, Iba Adams said the initiative was Oodua People’s Congress’s attempt to rescue the security situation across Yorubaland and beyond.
He added that though Kwara state is in the North Central region of Nigeria, it remains an integral part of Yorubaland, saying whatever affects the state has a great effect in other states of the South West region.
He maintained also that over 100 members of the security team were drawn from each of the 16 local governments of the state.
He said: “Nigeria has been most hit by various security challenges.
“The South West is not spared either.
“In our attempt to check the security deficit, there is the need for us to address the situation and that is why we are here to salvage the situation.
“The Oodua Dependable Security Team had been launched in four states in the last four months.
“We have our security team that is very active and visible in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Kwara is our present point of call for the launching and inauguration of the Oodua Security Dependable Team because it is my belief that the state is very strategic to us in Yorubaland.
“This is part of our plan and ongoing strategy to reduce the security deficit in Yorubaland.
“The security team is to re-energise our grassroots security network across the South West region and beyond.
“Of the 36 states of Nigeria, Kwara is the ninth largest in area, but the sixth least populous, with an estimated population of about five million people.
“The newly constituted security team will take care of security issues across the 16 local governments in the state.
“The Oodua Dependable Security Team will be complementing the efforts of the police in the state, especially in the area of intelligence gathering and surveillance.”
Aare Adams charged the Kwara State Government as well as traditional rulers across the state to support this initiative, stressing that the focus is to assist the state in ensuring effective security across the state.
The Kwara State Coordinator of the team is Comrade Ganiyu Oladipo.
Members of the National Executive Council and National Coordinating Council of the Oodua People’s Congress were present at the event.
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