Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, says the government will begin documenting foreign nationals working with multinational companies and intensify screening of new arrivals as part of wider measures to strengthen security across the state.
The governor announced the plan on Monday in Iperu after a security meeting convened in response to growing concerns over banditry, terrorism and other violent crimes in parts of the country.
He said the state must be proactive, especially as it receives more than five million daily commuters due to its industrial status.
Abiodun disclosed that security agencies recently arrested about 70 foreign nationals from Niger Republic, Sudan and Chad who could not explain their mission in the state. “Within the last three to four days, law enforcement agencies have arrested about 70 persons from Chad and Sudan who cannot even speak English and cannot explain what they are doing here. We are going to process these individuals with the Nigeria Immigration Service,” he told journalists.
He urged non-indigene communities to be more vigilant, saying the government needs to know the purpose and means of livelihood of new entrants to prevent criminal infiltration.
The governor also raised alarm over the activities of scavengers, warning that they have become a growing security concern.
He said law enforcement agencies would monitor them more closely and engage the groups to prevent their networks from being exploited for criminal activity.
Abiodun directed the police to move into enclaves such as the Zanga area of Ijebu-Ode and clear out criminal hideouts, warned that any property used for illegal activities would be confiscated by the state.
On the recent security scare at Ajebo in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, the governor said officers had already profiled the settlement and confirmed that its occupants posed no threat, added that the state would intensify security across forest reserves to stop criminals from using them as operational bases.
The meeting also examined activities of scrap dealers, scavengers and illegal miners, with the governor warning that some miners have become fronts for criminal elements.
He said security agencies would begin flushing out illegal operators from mining sites and forests.
Abiodun appealed to residents to support community policing by reporting suspicious activity. “Security is not the responsibility of security agents alone. We must work with them. We must report anything suspicious so law enforcement can respond promptly. We must be observant and be our brother’s keeper,” he said.
He assured that his administration would continue to provide logistics support to security agencies, and cautioned traditional rulers against allocating land to unknown persons, warning that any Oba or Baale who enables security breaches would be held accountable.
While commending the synergy among security agencies for maintaining stability in Ogun, the governor praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for efforts to strengthen the economy and for the swift rescue of kidnapped victims in Niger and Kwara states.