The Oyo State Police Command has commenced bush-combing operations in search of kidnappers of an Indian expatriate and other criminal elements in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Alayande, disclosed this on Monday while featuring on a current affairs programme on an Ibadan-based radio station in the state capital.
Alayande expressed concern over the resurgence of criminal activities in the state, noting that the command was reviewing its security architecture to curb the activities of kidnappers and other criminals across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that gunmen on Saturday killed a police officer and kidnapped an Indian expatriate at Ogunmakin community in the Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.
It was also recalled that suspected bandits had earlier invaded the National Park Service in Oloka community, Oriire Local Government Area, on Tuesday, January 6, killing five officers of the service.
According to the police spokesperson, these incidents informed the decision of the command to review its security strategy and deploy more personnel to affected areas.
Alayande said the command was working in collaboration with the Ogun and Lagos State Police Commands to ensure effective policing of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and border communities.
“The state Police command is reviewing its security architecture to checkmate the activities of the kidnappers and other criminal elements in the 33 Local Government Areas of the state.
“It is pathetic that one of our officers lost his life while trying to repel the attacks launched by the gunmen at Ogunmakin area of the Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.
“An Indian expatriate was kidnapped during the attack. We have deployed our men to the affected areas. They have started combing the bushes in search of the criminal elements. I am assuring the public that they will be smoked out from wherever they are hiding.
“The command is working in collaboration with the sisters command in Lagos and Ogun State respectively, at ensuring safer environment,” he said.
