Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state has revealed plan to establish a financial crimes agency to combat the menace of internet fraud known in local parlance as Yahoo Yahoo.
The Gateway state as Ogun is popular ranks top on the list of cyber Crimes in the country. This situation, Governor Abiodun said cannot be allowed to continue. He said the state government is working tirelessly to rid the state of internet crimes and other criminality such as kidnappings, random taking and advance fee fraud.
The governor also stated that his government is currently working with federal agencies and neighboring states to tackle insecurity along shared borders.
The Lagos/ Ibadan expressway, the border line between Ogun and Oyo has recently become den of kidnappers who abduct travellers for ransom.
Prince Dapo Abiodun made these disclosures at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta during the launch of the state joint security outfit, code-named OP-MESA on Friday.
Governor Abiodun said, “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.
“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,” he said.
He affirmed his administration support for OP-MESA, adding that the security outfit was established to fight criminals across the state. He, however, assured the residents that government will monitor the outfit to ensure discipline.
He urged Ogun residents to cooperate with officers of OP-MESA for maximum results, noting that the state has already purchasedf ifteen vehicles, two armoured personal carriers and communication equipment to support the security outfit.
“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.
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