Oyo Deputy Gov Commissions Reconstructed Police Station, Motorized Boreholes in Akinyele

Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barr. Abdul‑Raheem Adebayo Lawal, has commissioned the reconstructed office building of the Moniya Area Command of the Nigeria Police at Ishabiyi, Moniya, Ibadan. 

During the ceremony on Friday, the Deputy Governor said security is a top priority for the Oyo State government and a constitutional responsibility.

He noted that infiltration by criminal elements—including kidnapping and banditry—is on the rise across Nigeria, stressing that Oyo State will continue to curb such threats. 

Barr. Lawal, who disclosed that locations from the northern part serve as checkpoints, noted that he had instructed the Akinyele Local Government Chairman to erect perimeter fencing around the Police state for adequate security.

He said the entire Ibadan area is enclosed by a circular road, and that a contract had been awarded for the road construction from Moniya to Akinyele to support the dry‑port project.

According to Lawal, this police station, well situated, will enhance revenue generation for the local government. 

He urged residents of Akinyele to make good use of the facility.

While also commending the council chairman for installing two motorized boreholes at the police station, the Deputy Governor noted that water is essential for police operations.

“If you see something, say something,” he added. 

Speaking further, Barr. Lawal disclosed that most requests of the Oyo Police are being met, explaining that the state government funds equipment, mobility and other needs, while ammunition procurement remains the responsibility of the federal government. 

He added that the Moniya‑Akinyele road project is ongoing to spur development, and that the Oyo State Government has acquired two aircraft to boost security, positioning the state among the safest in the country.

“On behalf of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, we are delighted with this project. The police station will further strengthen the state’s security architecture”, he said. 

Earlier in his welcome address, Hon. Akinwole Akinleye, chairman of Akinyele Local Government Area, described the Area Command Office Building—built by direct labour—as a project with a chequered history. 

According to him, for years the Command had been housed in the Divisional Police Headquarters within the Local Government Secretariat because of a severe office‑space shortage while the new building was under construction.

He said, “We resolved to reposition the Command to secure our borders and protect our people amid rising insecurity and internal insurgency. This is the facility we are delivering today, a fully equipped office.” 

The chairman highlighted the challenges of administering a rapidly growing, cosmopolitan community. He said Akinyele is a major transit hub between southern and northern Nigeria, home to the Akinyele Trailer Park and Pepper Market, and a melting pot of diverse cultures.

“The Area Command’s Area of Responsibility covers Lagelu, Egbeda, part of Ibadan North, and Akinyele up to the Iseyin boundary,” he added. 

He noted that the opening of the Ilu‑Tuntun Business District and the Circular Road Project brings security concerns, and that locating the Area Command here will help address them.

He warned that insecurity has become unpredictable, with banditry, terrorism and kidnapping moving swiftly across geopolitical zones. Strengthening the security architecture and increasing security spending are therefore essential. “We cannot abandon large border areas without effective policing, lest they become safe havens for criminals,” he stressed.

Looking ahead, he called for a national security database that integrates NIN, BVN, INEC, driver’s licence, passport and telecom data to track ransom payments and terrorism financing. He also urged improved education, job creation and skills training for youth, and the attraction of labour‑intensive industries.

He commended Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde for his support and requested his approval to equip the new office with modern communication gadgets. 

He concluded with a quote from Robert Kennedy: “Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves… every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on.”

Also, in their separate goodwill messages, the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Segun Olayiwola, and the ALGON Chairman, Hon. Sikiru Sanda, said the police station will strengthen the security architecture of Akinyele and its surroundings. 

They thanked Governor Seyi Makinde for the project’s realization.

Hon. Sanda specially thanked Governor Makinde for giving the chairmen the opportunity to showcase their talent and praised the Akinyele Local Government Chairman for bolstering the state’s security through the police‑station project. 

He described the edifice as a laudable achievement that “speaks volumes” and commended the chairman for being a good representative of Akinyele Local Government.

The ALGON chairman added that security is being taken seriously by the current administration under Governor Makinde and urged the local government to make good use of the project.

DCP Salaudeen Isiaka said the police are ready to work and ensure the security architecture of the local government, urging residents to cooperate with the police and provide useful information to guarantee safety. 

He stated, “We are ready to support you to make sure we achieve good results. When you have any useful information, please approach the police. We are ready to make sure Oyo is progressing.”

The event was attended by the ALGON Chairman, Hon. Sikiru Sanda; the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Segun Olayiwola; the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Qamaudeen Aderibigbe; Hon. Members representing Akinyele 1 and 2 and other assembly members; the Ibadan North Chairman, Seun Olufade; the House of Representatives aspirant for the Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency, Hon. Toheeb Adegoke; and a host of other guests.