Osun LG chairmen donate 300 motorcycles to police, others

Different conventional and non-conventional security organisations in Osun State on Tuesday received a donation of 300 motorcycles from the state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, to enhance their operations.

Receiving the donation at the Osun Command headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Osogbo on behalf of the benefiting organisations, Osun State Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Gotan, commended President Bola Tinubu over the financial autonomy granted local government areas in the country.

The CP, who said the donation would enhance the operations of the security agencies in the state, added that to surmount security challenges facing the country, collaboration and support of all stakeholders would be required.

“Security is a collective responsibility. The challenges we face today require collaboration, partnership, and sustained support from all stakeholders.

The donation of these motorcycles will undoubtedly enhance our operational capacity, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and will improve response time and patrol courage,” the CP said.

Assuring that the motorcycles would be deployed for the right purpose, Gotan further said, “On behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, the IGP, and other security agencies present here, I sincerely thank ALGON for this thoughtful, impactful intervention. Be assured that this motorcycle will be used judiciously.

He stated, “Finally, I wish to thank President Bola Tinubu for making this laudable gesture a reality by giving all the LGs there autonomy.”

Speaking on behalf of the donors, the Osun ALGON chairman, Mr Samuel Idowu, said council areas in the state were able to purchase the motorcycles due to the financial autonomy they are currently enjoying.

Idowu also said that the donation was further proof that when empowered, local governments in the country can become strong pillars in the architecture of national security and development.

He said, “We are giving out 300 motorcycles in total.  Each local government will receive 10 motorcycles. Police formation in each of the 30 council areas in the state will get 3 motorcycles, DSS, 2, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, 2, Vigilante 1, Hunters, 1, local/ community security, 1, making 10 in total per local government.”

Highlighting further the importance of the gesture, the Osun ALGON boss said, “The motorcycles we are distributing today will enhance mobility, improve response time, and enable our security agencies to access difficult terrains, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas. This initiative is aimed at strengthening community policing and ensuring that no part of our state is left vulnerable.”

He urged the security agencies to deploy judiciously and maintain them properly to serve the purpose for which they were provided.

The reports that the Osun state government and the All Progressives Congress in the state have been at loggerheads over the decision of the council chairmen to donate operational motorcycles for the security agencies in the state.

While the state government insisted that the LG chairmen elected on the platform of the APC were occupying the council areas illegally, the APC said that its LG officers were having a valid tenure and had approached the court to determine if another election could be held when they were yet to complete their tenure of office.