EXCLUSIVE: Robbery is now the order of the day in Ibadan

“Armed robbers came to my house last week and they raided almost all the houses in my street”.
The security architecture of oyo state seems to be in a poor shape as Ibadan residents are now living in fear over the level of insecurity in the state. Men can’t sleep with their women again in the night. “ko ni Ile Gbe Ile, Ki Alejo O Gbe Ile”
In the last few days, there were several cases of robbery, theft, and miscreants terrorizing the peace of peole in Ibadan. The security watch under Governor makinde is something not to write home about. 
Speaking with Mouthpiece NGR on Saturday, Ayobami, whose house was among the houses robbed at Ik dairo, kufeyinjin and Aromolaran said “the level of insecurity in oyo state has depreciated to the state of anarchy where people could not sleep with their two eyes closed.
“The operation burst security outfits are not active like the way they were during the tenure of Ajimobi and it shows the level and capability of present adminstration in tackling the insecurity in Ibadan metropolis and oyo state in general.”
“The people of Aromolaran and Kufeyin were clamouring about everyday robbery happening in the communities, which leads to several lost of properties.”
“The armed robbers robbed Aromolaran, kufeyin, Fagbamila and ibadan central hospital area for a week without proper intervention of police or any security outfit.”
At exactly 3am today, Mouthpiece NGR correspondent was alerted about a robbery operation at Alaro Sango. It was gathered that the people were in fear and anxiety.
Our source disclosed that the armed robbers were shooting sporadically as they robbed houses. Calling 615 but no response, “our source added. 
Sango Alaro is highly dominated by students close to the Polytechnic ibadan. It was learnt that robbers visited the environment like three times this week. 

Mouthpiece NGR reliably gathered again that Akobo Axis armed robbers visited the community three times in a week before the community landlords resolve to self help by doing vigilante by themselves.

Before now, people have been raising concern about the level of insecurity in the state, criticizing Governor Makinde and comparing his government with the past administration on proper handling of security issue in the state. 
On Friday, A member of PDP media team, Mr Olubunmi Sodipo defended the Governor in a piece he tagged “Re: Neglect By Gov Makinde As Armed Robbers Attack Ibadan Residents During COVID-19 Lockdown. 
He said “While a measure of recognition ought to go to Oladeinde Olawoyin for exercising his civic right to draw government attention to “growing insecurity”, a negative trend which requires government action, it needs to be said that he should have stopped right there and not use the observation to wrongly label the Seyi Makinde government as aloof and indifferent. By so doing, Oladeinde went beyond being the concerned vigilante to being an extra judicial offender when he described the government of Engr Seyi Makinde as “been at best aloof and at worst indifferent, to this concern”. 
In less than one year of being in office, Engr Seyi Makinde had demonstrated such a high level of commitment to the security of the lives and properties of the good people of Oyo State, in so many ways. 
Firstly, this commitment has been demonstrated in the huge investments and capital outlay expended on equipping the police in Oyo State with brand new patrol vehicles enhanced with state-of-the-art communication gadgets for the effective policing of the state. Now, criminals have a harder time getting away from the police because policemen can communicate with one another in real time, across the length and breadth of the state.
For the first time in the history of Oyo State, a Commissioner of Police can reach his men on the field, even while being away from the state.
Along with this, a dedicated, toll free number, 615 was launched to afford the citizens of the state the opportunity to call the police into action wherever the need arises. 
Right next to the above , in the scale of significance is the commitment the Engr Seyi Makinde-led administration has shown towards the establishment and operation of the South Western Security Network, code named, Amotekun. From hosting the initial security summits, to hosting the eventual public declaration of  the project by the governments of the six South Western States to  the speedy preparation of the required legal framework for the project and other arrangements necessary to make it operational. 
Of tangential importance, but worthy of mention is the determination and political will Engr Seyi Makinde has shown in addressing the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW issue and the threat they have posed and they continue to pose to public peace and security. Governor Seyi Makinde eventually went ahead to uphold the proscription of NURTW.
More than that, the long term future of the body and the funds it had available to it was seriously impaired by the establishment of the Park Management System, at the risk of a political backlash. Is this the action of an ‘aloof or indifferent’ government? 
You can tell the priorities of a government by the events the Executive Governor chooses to attend in person. The Deputy Governor and other government functionaries are there to represent the Governor at many sundry events. It is then remarkable to note that Engr Seyi Makinde was personally present at the recent commissioning of a police station in Oke Ogun. This is an indication of the value he places on better policing as one of the primary means of enhancing the peace and security of the state  
How can Oladeinde Olawoyin describe a government  with this level of commitment as aloof or indifferent to security concerns? He already put his finger on the probable cause of the recent upsurge in insecurity: an unlikely fallout of the Covid-19 lockdown (partial in Oyo State), but he chose to play a guessing game by suggesting and insinuating, a “much more sinister” cause he failed to identify nor analyse.
The bottom line is that with all efforts of the Makinde-led administration to preserve and guarantee the security of lives and Properties in Oyo State, some underlying factors have not changed. 
We all need to realize that the present socio-economic turbulence brought in by the Covid-19 pandemic is a new, albeit temporary factor in the interplay of conditions that may or may not fuel violence and criminality. As such, we all need to live a bit more carefully, at least for a while. 
Residents of Foko, Eyin Grammar, Adeyemo Layout, Iyana Liberty, Molete and other areas experiencing an appointment upsurge in insecurity need to make a formal report to the state police headquarters rather than be sending SOS alerts to a writer, if what they really want is to have their security challenges addressed rather than politicized.”
But rubbishing the piece of Mr Sodipo, a renowned online media guru who pleaded anonymity while speaking with Mouthpiece NGR on Saturday said “ I read this piece thoroughly, simply because I was waiting for the line which will link Oladeinde Olawoyin, celebrated and award-winning Premium Times journalist, with either the APC, or Governor Makinde’s detractors (as that’s the popular trend now). However, I couldn’t find any (fair enough!).
He said “Having read Olawoyin’s initial piece, I didn’t see anywhere, where he demeaned the Governor, warranting a rejoinder from anyone.
For Pete’s sake, I sincerely hope this rejoinder isn’t from the Governor’s PR Team (as that would be a misplaced priority).
How can you recognise a concerned citizen’s “right to exercise his civic right of drawing government attention to growing insecurity”, yet frown at his use of “aloof and at worst indifferent?” Pray, if that’s his own literary way of expressing frustration to the mounting insecurity?. And all writers revel in their own literary freedom.
And with Sodipo’s rejoinder, carefully pointing out Gov. Makinde’s lofty measures to stem the tide of insecurity (which are already advertised in the public domain), should the same Sodipo have concluded that what the people of the affected areas need do is to make a formal report to the police state headquarters rather than be sending SOS alerts to a writer?
For those feeling the pangs of incessant armed robberies, any measure to halt their misery, is a good measure. 
And if the Police were truly on top of the situation as Sodipo claimed, I don’t think it needed to be prodded, as it should’ve been able to either prevent the crime, caught them in the act, or by now, been right on the trail of these unfortunate criminals (I sincerely pray all of these three options are the Police’s objectives going forward).
I honestly do not appreciate this trend of trying to shut down every critic of the governor, no matter how constructive. To me, that portends graver danger, than what even the opposition can do. 
Truth is, Gov. Makinde’s emergence is divine, and clearly populist, accentuated by several factors. Hence, shutting down these same set of people who worked directly or indirectly from criticising the governor (even when constructive) is only building the governor into becoming an autocrat (one who’s always right, and cannot be advised or prodded), which in the end, isn’t helpful to the peace and progress, prosperity and development of our dear state.
Taking up rejoinders to an individual’s Facebook post, isn’t even fanciful at all. How many of such posts will this rejoinder writer now be monitoring to show loyalty to the governor?
What the governor needs to succeed, are men and women of integrity and good conscience, who can passionately tell him the “words on the streets”, so he can act accordingly, as he can’t be everywhere, not just those who’ll take rejoinders to every Facebook posts they deem unfriendly.
Mouthpiece NGR….. 

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