Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday held consultations with the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, and the Awujale of Ijebu Kingdom, Oba Sikiru Adetona, all in Ogun, over the security challenges in the country.
Osinbajo, who first visited the Akarigbo, was accompanied by Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun.
The vice president, who fielded questions from newsmen after the meeting, said the consultation was on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As you know, there are many significant security concerns all over the country, and there are concerns also in the South West.
“So, I am here on the instruction of the president to consult with the traditional ruler, the governor and others on what to do to beef up security and to generally improve the security architecture.
“Of course, you know that Kabieyesi is not just a traditional ruler but a very important part of the government.
“So, that is why we are here; to talk to him and agree on few modalities for beefing up security, for ensuring that we are fully conscious of all that is going on, just to be sure that peace and security reign here and across the country.
“I think for all of us, the most important thing to realise is that we are one Nigeria; we are one country; we need to work together to ensure that the country is peaceful, secured and happy for all of us, ” he said.
He said that Nigeria had the potential to give the citizens all they desired.
Osinbajo, however, said that some people were working against the interest of the country by attempting to cause instability.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome all its problems and set itself on the part of peace and prosperity.
The vice president, in company with the Ogun governor, also proceeded to Ijebu Ode where he had a private meeting with Adetona.
Speaking with newsmen afterwards, Osinbajo said that the Awujale was one of the most important voices in the South West.
He said his discussion with Adetona was on the important steps to take in order to improve the security architecture generally.
According to him, the monarch has given a lot of insight on what needs to be done and how to go about it and what has been done already.
“But very important is his commitment to ensuring that there is peace and security and that everybody lives in peace with one another and that we maintain the highest level of security.
“We are consulting with many of the traditional rulers across the country but there are concerns in the South West now.
“We are going round; I will be in Osun on Tuesday; we are going to go round to see the Alake, the Oni and other traditional rulers and primarily, they themselves want to participate in improving the security architecture.
” The president has spoken about the role of traditional rulers in maintaining peace and security in their own localities.
” As we know, they are the closest to the grassroots; the closest to their communities, and one of the critical things we expect with our community policing efforts is some integration between the traditional rulers, the community police and some other efforts they are making to improve intelligence first of all because we need to understand what is going on.
” We need to know who is where and what exactly is happening all around so that they can then be transmitted to the more formal security agencies–the police, the army-depending on where we are and what the situation is,” he said.
The vice president had earlier attended the installation of 90-year-old Chief Emmanuel Osibona as the ‘Baba Ijo’ of Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne, Ogun, his hometown.
(NAN)
