5th August, 2019
By Adejoke Adeleye
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has vowed to prosecute landlords or property owners who harbour criminals in their houses.
Abiodun also vowed to just seize the properties of such landlords.
The governor blew hot at a news conference at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on the heels of increasing insecurity in the State which required drastic measures to combat.
He also revealed that his government was ready to raise enough funds, to adequately fight criminals, saying that his administration was set to re-launch a “Security Trust Fund” to allow individuals and all stakeholders to make voluntary contributions.
He said “let me use this opportunity to sound this very strong note of warning to our landlords and any property owners, that any property or facility found to be serving as hideout for criminals will not only be taken over by the State, but we will demolish.
“The landlords will also be arrested and handed over for prosecution for harbouring criminals, we will consider and treat them as accomplices.
“Also, we are working towards strengthening our security apparatus in the State. We are re-organising the Ogun State Security Trust Fund and it will comprise key stakeholders alongside government officials and some of our longstanding retired law enforcement officers.
“We will be re-launching the State Security Trust Fund. We will ensure that it has the right cooperate governance so that it can provide the required funding for our law enforcement agencies.
“On Thursday, last week, five persons, including a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) were kidnapped in Ogbere axis on the Sagamu-Benin, Ore expressway. The police, together with other security agents succeeded in rescuing them unhurt on Saturday. A week earlier, the security agents in the State had rescued seven victims who were also kidnapped.”
Abiodun, however, concluded that the kidnaps were nothing but test on the strength of his administration.
“The incidents are a test of our resolve and we have demonstrated in clear terms, our strong commitment to ensure that our dear state will continue to be secured for our people and all those who have made our dear state their home.
“Let me assure all our people that we are unreservedly committed to giving Ogun State and her people a focused and qualitative governance and we are committed to creating the enabling environment for a public private sector partnership which we believe is fundamental to the growth of this State and the individual prosperity of our people.
“In doing this, we do appreciate the very vital and pivotal role security plays. A secure environment is imperative to the promotion of investment, this is why we consider security as one of our top most enablers in building our building the future together agenda,” he said.
“We will continue to ensure that people go about their legitimate enterprises and their businesses in a secure and safe Ogun State.”
“Let me state in clear terms that no part of Ogun State will be a safe haven for criminals and criminality in whatever form whether on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Sagamu-Benin-Ore expressway, Abeokuta-Sango expressway or even our township roads, inter-State roads, we shall smoke them out, we shall arrest them and we shall hand them over to the swift hands of justice,” he added.