Amosun allays fear over armed robbery attack in Ijebuland

Governor Ibikunle Amosun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State

Residents of Ijebu Igbo and other towns in Ijebuland have been assured of adequate protection of lives and property from men of the underworld by Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state.

Amosun also appealed to them not to entertain any fear over the rumoured armed robbery attack in Ijebuland, which made banks in the area to shut down operations earlier in the week.

The governor assured them that no robbery incident can occurr in the present day Ogun state without catching the perpetrators going by the present security arrangements in the state.

Amosun gave the assurance Thursday in Ijebu-Igbo, the headquarters of Ijebu North local government area of the state while addressing citizens of the state who trooped out in their thousands to welcome the governor to the area in continuation of his on the spot assessment and monitoring tour of local government areas of the state.

The governor was apparently reacting to the publication in some newspapers early this week when commercial banks in some notable town like Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo closed shops over the rumours that armed robbers were planning to attack them.

Palpable fears had on Monday enveloped the entire banking sector in the Ijebu axis, when reports filtered round the town that all the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed in the area had developed mechanical faults.

An Armoured Personnel Carriers
An Armoured Personnel Carriers

The development also forced some banks in Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye as well as some notable businessmen and organised private sectors in Ijebuland to close shops when the only APC stationed in the area was taken to Ijebu-Ode.

While addressing the mammoth crowd today at Station area of Ijebu Igbo, Amosun emphasised that, even if the security arrangements as at present in the state is sabotaged, armed robbery incidents in Ogun would definitely be foiled.

“They have talked to me about security, but we have to give thanks to God because before now, no bank will want to open, but in today’s Ogun state it is different.

“Before now, nobody could boast of security and by 4:00 p.m., nobody would want to work again, but now, people are doing shift duties. Which means that some people resume work by 7:00 p.m. in the evening and work overnight. Why they can do that is because there is adequate security.

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“I want to reassure all of us that the mission to rebuild Ogun state is on course. We are not looking back as long as we have you behind us and I know that the good Lord is with us.

“When there is any issue with our Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), banks will not want to open because of the fear of the past, but by God’s grace, we will not need APC in Ogun before we can be secured. It’s just a lack of faith, even, when we want to service the vehicle, people will begin to fear.

“It is not until APC is brought to our doorstep, the APC is in all our main cities and all are working except when there is sabotage. We should not say because there is no APC, everyone should not go to work. Ogun is now a safe and secure state. We know some people are trying to sabotage, but we will not allow them because security is for all of us and as government we will do our best”, Amosun stated.

The governor also explained that he had ordered that all the Amoured Personnel Carriers (APC) in Ijebuland must be put in shape of proper functioning to further reinforce the people’s belief in the security arrangements already in the State.

Amosun, who was overwhelmed with the tumultuous crowd that trooped out to welcome him and his convoy from Adeboye road, Oke Sopen, Ijebu Igbo, where he trekked down to the venue of the event maintained that more dividends of democracy will come the way of the people of the area.

The governor also disclosed that the local government is one of the local government that will be splited when the Local Council Development Area, LCDA, proposed by the government is finalised.

“We have just laid the foundation and we will begin to build on that foundation. I want us to always maintain peace because this is Ogun state and I want to thank you for the support and also to reassure you that in all the five cardinal programmes, no local government will be left behind.

“I want to assure that all we promised during the electioneering campaign, we’ve started and this is a local government that must take the front seat. Let me assure you that even when we have not started our LCDA, we will soon begin and this local government will be splinted because it is a very big local government.

“We have said 8 local government areas will have two model schools, which Ijebu North is one of them and we have finished that of Ago-Iwoye, the next one will be cited here.

“The hospital we promised to build, nine of them will be done in all the federal constituencies and one of them is coming to our area here. All we are doing, every local government will benefit but there are some of them that will be given priority because of their population and significance.

“I have talked about Apoje, it was the proceeds of agriculture that our forefathers used for development and we have to go back to the basis. We have done all that is needed to be done, we must not consider what the last administration did, we have to concentrate on what we want to do,” the governor said.

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