15th November, 2022
By David Adeoye
The Oyo State Government has sought the assistance of the USA in tackling insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the state.
Chief Adebayo Lawal, the state’s Deputy Governor, sought assistance on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday while receiving the new United States Consul-General, Mr Williams Stevens.
Lawal, who observed that insecurity was becoming endemic in Nigeria, said Oyo state would welcome whatever technology was required to combat the menace.
“Initially, we thought we can localise this issue of security, but it has become a hydra-headed phenomenon. We must give it to you that if you choose to assist, you can be deliberate and we will encourage you to assist and partner with Oyo State Government in the area of security,” he said
On efforts made so far to address the insecurity, Lawal said “we know security is key and we have really deployed a greater percentage of resources into security development.
“Since the inception of this administration, we have put in place an outfit called ‘Amotekun’ to complement the efforts of our conventional security outfits – Police, Department of State Security and others that are national in nature.
“Amotekun is domesticated, localised and goes into the nooks and crannies of our communities to ensure our environments are safe”.
The deputy governor further stated that the state government also wanted a partnership with the U.S. in the agriculture and health sectors.
He maintained that government would strengthen its partnership to deepen a mutually-beneficial relationship on business, entertainment, technology and good governance, among others.
However, he stressed that the state government was looking forward to using the opportunities and mutually-beneficial partnerships with the United States to better the lives of Oyo State residents and create an atmosphere where businesses could thrive.
In response, Mr Stevens said his country was poised to improve economic relationships and bilateral trade and work together with Oyo State to combat crime.
Stevens also said the US was partnering to prioritise agriculture, health, and security, among other initiatives.
He lauded the state government for doing well in the areas of healthcare delivery, noting that the state’s parameters on HIV prevalence are already ahead of some countries.
Meanwhile, Stevens added the United States would partner with Oyo State and the Federal Government in combating transnational crimes and ensure the security of the lives and property of residents.