Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has assured the Nigeria Police Force and all other security agencies in the state that his administration will continue to provide necessary support required to strengthen their collective capacity to protect lives and property.
Makinde, who stated this at the inauguration of the Oyo State Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the Oversight Committee, held at the Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, described the initiative as the first of its kind in the Southwest.
He noted that it reflected the collective determination of government and security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
He lauded the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and appreciated all the security agencies in the state for their efforts in keeping the state safe, expressing optimism that the Violent Crime Response Unit will succeed in its mandate of combating violent crimes and ensuring lasting peace, safety, and stability in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
Governor Makinde further assured the people of the state that his government will continue to demonstrate commitment to combating crimes and working effectively with security agencies to secure Oyo State, urging community leaders and residents of the state to be watchful and vigilant about their environments and report suspicious activities promptly to security agencies.
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Oyo State, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, described the launch of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) as a major policing reform initiative aimed at strengthening public trust, enhancing professionalism, and improving tactical operations in line with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police.
He explained that the VCRU was created to replace former tactical teams as a more accountable, intelligence-driven, professionally trained, and human-rights-compliant unit, capable of responding swiftly to violent crimes and emerging security threats, saying officers were carefully selected across the state based on their discipline, operational experiences, competence, and integrity.
The CP commended Governor Makinde for his administration’s support towards security advancement in the state, noting that the government’s commitment to peace and institutional support has continued to motivate security agencies.
In their separate goodwill messages, the coordinator of the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, Mogaji Nurudeen Akinade, and the Oyo State coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Abayomi Ogundele, said the initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening public safety and demonstrates the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring the security of the lives and property of the citizens.
The event had in attendance the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mr. Abayomi Fagbenro; Chairman, Oyo State Security Network Corps (Amotekun), AIG Sikiru Akande (rtd.); and Executive Adviser, Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Agency, CP Ayodele Sonubi (rtd.); among other dignitaries.
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