Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, on Wednesday, bemoaned that some village heads are also contributing to the security challenge facing the state as they have continued to allocate land to undocumented foreigners.
Speaking during a media briefing held at the Government house, Ibadan, Makinde said he would not hesitate to sanction such village heads.
Noting that such undocumented individuals may be contributing to insecurity, he said the state will begin a process of documenting such foreigners.
In the same light, he added that a task force is to be set up to document persons working in mining sites as well as commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators.
He warned that commercial vehicle and motorcycle operators either register or be constrained to a particular timeframe of operation.
Makinde said, “We have also noted with dismay that some village heads are allocating land to undocumented foreigners. Any village head found wanting in this regard will be sanctioned. We are aware of how undocumented individuals may be contributing to insecurity.
“So, we will be providing some documentation for them. For example, those who work in mining sites will have to be documented and a task force is being set up to do this.
“We will also be meeting with the heads of the Association of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycles and Tricycles Owners Repairers and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACCOMORAN).
“This will go a long way to addressing how some people are hiding under their platform to commit crimes. The options are that you get registered and we know who are the operators or we regulate your hours of operation. We can say after 6pm we don’t want to see motorcycles and tricycles on our streets. We have that power.”
Addressing observed friction between the Nigerian police and Amotekun, Makinde said work was in progress to align the terms of operation of the two outfits.
Makinde particularly decried misinformation, fake news on Amotekun which he said is being driven by persons who do not want the outfit to succeed.
He, however, said proper information channels are to be set up to prevent misinformation and disinformation on Amotekun.
Makinde said, “Since Amotekun was deployed, we have seen various reports in the news. Most of these reports are good, a few are bad. Of the bad, quite a number are false information and fake news.
“There are people among us that do not want Amotekun to succeed and they will use lies, disinformation to push their agenda. We must realise where we are coming from and think of where we really want to be. Community policing is the way forward and we have to make it work.”
On tackling COVID-19, Makinde said available data did not point to a second wave in the state.
He said the state had so far conducted 34,000 COVID-19 tests with 14,000 tests done from last December till date.
Noting that the curve was not flattened, he said the challenge the state faces is more residents becoming complacent.
He, therefore, enjoined residents not to let down their guards, but continue to adhere to protocols.
He described the expected 1,800 COVID-19 vaccines billed for Oyo state, even the 100,000 for Nigeria as inadequate.
To this end, he said the state government had opened discussions with some manufacturers with a view to procuring vaccines directly for the state.
This is as added that the state was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with a firm to use their oxygen facility in taking care of COVID-19 patients in the state.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
