Ekiti State Government Intensifies Security Efforts As recent Kidnappings Raise Alarm

The Ekiti State Government has called on local government chairmen to take greater responsibility for ensuring the security of lives and property in their areas. Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd), Chairman of the State Security and Intelligence Committee, made the appeal during the committee’s third quarterly meeting on Wednesday, stressing the need for collaboration between council leaders and the state government to tackle the persistent issue of insecurity.

Gen. Ogundana, who also serves as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, acknowledged the state’s recent record of relative peace but condemned the recent wave of kidnappings and other security threats. He assured residents that the government had intensified efforts to protect innocent lives, attributing many of the security challenges to incursions from neighboring states.

Citing the recent kidnapping incident between Isan and Iludun, Gen. Ogundana praised the swift response of the Command Secondary School patrol team, who rescued the victim and rushed him to the hospital.

“We have been enjoying relative peace in Ekiti, but earlier this week, we received troubling news. Governor Oyebanji has directed a review of the state’s security architecture to address these emerging threats,” Ogundana said, reassuring residents of the governor’s commitment to maintaining peace.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Ekiti, Hon. Oluwasegun Ojo, reiterated the ongoing collaboration between council chairmen and security agencies, pledging to ensure robust grassroots policing. Ojo, also the Chairman of Ekiti East Local Government, emphasized the crucial role of security in driving the state’s socio-economic development.

The meeting, held at the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti, was attended by local government chairmen and representatives from Local Council Development Areas.