Following the leaked security alert issued by the Department of State Services (DSS), over planned coordinated attacks on communities in Ondo State by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), terror group, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, has said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa-led administration lacks the seriousness required to tackle security issues in the state.
According to the opposition party, security agencies have been demoralised due to what it described as the government’s attitude towards security matters.
In a statement signed by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Wande T. Ajayi, the governor was charged to convene an urgent security summit, mobilise resources, and rebuild confidence among security agencies, emphasising that the state needs decisive leadership.
Ajayi lamented that the legacy of Ondo which was once a model of peace and vigilance in the South-West, is being squandered, noting that previous administrations made efforts to strengthen interagency collaboration and supported Amotekun.
The PDP Director of Media maintained that the welfare concerns of Amotekun officers should be urgently addressed, with operatives of the corps properly integrated into the state civil service to ensure job security, improved funding, and motivation to perform optimally.
“The once vibrant Amotekun Corps, a proud innovation that gave residents confidence in the protection of lives and property, has been reduced to a struggling outfit surviving on empty promises and token allowances.
“The officers who once stood tall as the first line of defence in our communities now battle poor welfare, inadequate logistics, and dwindling motivation because this government has chosen photo opportunities over purposeful leadership.
“The Peoples Democratic Party finds it deeply disturbing that while intelligence reports warn of potential terrorist activities around border communities, the governor’s idea of security management is limited to flying around in private jets to attend events and making hollow pronouncements,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the state government has called for calm among residents, describing the leaked memo as routine intelligence regularly shared among security agencies and the government in the state.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, disclosed that the routine intelligence is used to assess security threats and take proactive measures.
