The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured the Nigeria Police Force and 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.
The governor stated this at the inauguration of the Oyo State Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and its Oversight Committee, held at the Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde, who described the initiative as the first of its kind in the South-West region of the country, 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, while also appreciating all security agencies in the state for their efforts in keeping the state safe, expressing optimism that the Violent Crime Response Unit would succeed in its mandate of combating violent crimes and ensuring lasting peace, safety, and stability in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
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Reacting to the recent abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, the governor sympathised with the relatives of those who lost their lives, stating that the incident was another reminder that government must be proactive about security.
He declared that his government has been working with security agencies to get clarity on what happened and how to prevent future occurrences.
The governor urged community leaders and residents of the state to be watchful and vigilant about their environments and to report suspicious activities promptly to security agencies.
He further assured the people of the state that his government would continue to demonstrate commitment to combating crimes and working effectively with security agencies to secure Oyo State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner of Police, 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.
The CP added that officers were carefully selected into the unit from various divisions and formations across the state based on discipline, operational experience, competence, and integrity.
He also commended Governor Makinde for his administration’s support for 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 (Dr) Nurudeen Akinade, and the Oyo State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Barr. Abayomi Ogundele, said the initiative marked a significant step towards strengthening public safety and demonstrated the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring the security of lives and property.
They commended the Oyo State Government for putting in place a strong security architecture to combat crimes and for promoting cordial relationships among security agencies.
