Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday, said his administration has uncovered plans by criminals to attack schools and farm settlements in rural communities in the state.
The governor, who raised the alarm in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said those behind the plot planned to disrupt the implementation of infrastructure plan of his administration and cause apprehension in the state.
Adeleke, however, said he had convened a meeting of the state security council to prevent security breaches in any part of the state.
The governor referred to intelligence snippets of “deliberate mobilisation of criminal elements to the rural areas of the state”, stressing that such reports were alarming and posed serious concerns to the well-being of Osun people.
He noted that the administration was worried about reports that “those behind the plot are targeting disruption of farming activities through kidnappings and attacks on rural farm settlements.
“It was further revealed that schools are being targeted with abductions and attacks as a way of distracting from the implementation of the safe school initiative and the multi-billion naira infrastructure plan.”
While a meeting of the state security council has been summoned, Adeleke said preliminary directives had been issued to school authorities to take precautions to enhance safety of pupils and students.
The statement further reads: “The Ministry of Education and all education agencies have been ordered to review safety measures in Osun schools in line with the Safe School Initiative.
“In specific terms, school principals and heads are expected to clear overgrown school environments and ensure close liaison with the Parents and Teachers Association to secure their school environments.
“The governor further directs the Food Security Committee to submit an interim report to allow for immediate actions to safeguard farm security and secure farmers as the rainy season knocks on the door.
“We expect the initial report to contain practical and implementable measures to safeguard our farming communities through closer integration and mobilisation of the local hunters and forest rangers.”
The governor, who also announced plans to embark on major reforms of the Amotekun security force, frowned at the internal rivalry and what he called opposition penetration and external intervention that have negatively affected the operation of the Amotekun Corps in the state.
According to him, the Amotekun would be reorganised to make it a truly efficient force to complement the efforts and operation of the Police and other security agencies.
He assured the public that his administration had taken preemptive steps to secure schools and farming communities in the state, describing Osun as a peaceful state which would not succumb to attempts to destabilize the peace and harmony among its residents.
“I have summoned a meeting of the State Security Council to firm up all plans. I assure our people that I am on top of the situation. We are committed to securing our school, our farm, and our society.
“No stone will be left unturned to disrupt plans of enemies of progress to plunge the state into crisis. I urge members of the public to inform security agencies of any unusual movement or activities across the state”, Adeleke said.
