Ogun State Government will soon set up its own financial crimes agency to deal with internet frauds and illegal financial transactions, especially, those having to do with kidnapping, ransom taking and advance fee frauds.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, who disclosed this during the launch of the state joint security outfit, code-named OP-MESA ,also said his administration is working with federal agencies and its Oyo State counterpart in the area of security along the border lines.
He added:“We will make Ogun State inhabitable for all criminals. The other day, I was in a meeting in Abuja and in attendance was the Chairman of EFCC, and sadly, he said to me that Ogun State tops the list on the ‘Yahoo Yahoo Boys’. In my response, I said I am not surprised because Ogun State is the education capital of this country and you will find such around educational institutions and he agreed with me.
“We have decided that we will set up our State Commission that will be targeted towards eliminating these sorts of financial crimes. Our state commission will collaborate with the Federal Commission so that we do not occupy that false place in this area.We will like to occupy the first in many areas, but not in fraud and Yahoo Yahoo”
He also drew battle lines with kidnappers on the link road between the state and its neighbours.
He said:“Three days ago, I put a call through to my colleague in Oyo and we have decided that we are going to jointly collaborate in the area of providing security at the border posts between Ogun and Oyo states.
“He has decided that he will lead a team of his law enforcement architecture to Ogun State, so that we can have a meeting of minds and plan the way forward to take out these hoodlums. Ogun will not have a hiding place”
While affirming that OP-MESA was established to fight criminals across the state, he assured the people that members of the outfit would be picked to ensure they have the right discipline as well as ensure that they are committed to their assignment.
The governor further said that the launching of the outfit with fifteen vehicles, two armoured personal carriers and communication equipment would be done on a quarterly basis until the outfit reaches its desired number.
He implored the people of the state to take ownership of the outfit by collaborating with the personnel of the outfit for a more secured state.
“Today, we are launching OPMESA with a few equipment, in the first instance. We are providing them with fifteen pick up trucks, communication equipment, two armoured personal carriers; we will be providing them with this support every quarter, meaning that, in the next quarter, we give them another fifteen vehicles, another quarter, another fifteen vehicles until we reach the number that they require.
“I therefore enjoin our people to take ownership of this security outfit by collaborating with it and supporting it. Together, we shall make Ogun State a most hospitable and a conducive place of our collective dreams,” he said.
Abiodun,who implored the private sector to embrace the OPMESA initiative, noted that his administration would continue to be responsive to issues bordering on security.
He added that the outfit would benefit from the support of the security trust fund through donations and contributions from the government and the private sector, added that the OPMESA will compliment other security outfits in the state.
