Obaseki says Edo security council is being renewed and refreshed with new redeployments for war against crime

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged security agencies to mobilise their operatives in the state to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The governor said this after a closed-door meeting with heads of security agencies in the state, noting, “We deliberated on the security situation in the state. You can see that the security council is being renewed and refreshed with new redeployments.

“We have a new Police Commissioner, Mr. Ogbadu Philip, a new Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) and we are expecting a new Brigade Commander to be deployed to the state.”

He said, “we deliberated extensively on the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols and regulations in Edo. You will all recall that the citizens have been complaining about the enforcement. People don’t wear their facemasks in public, as they should. The discussion this afternoon was centered on how we can enforce the compliance so that we can slow down the spread of the virus.

“Decisions have been taken effective from today you will see different teams across the state who will go about to ensure full compliance of COVID-19 protocols. The new curfew time is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the morning.”

Obaseki warned that night clubs and bars who flout the curfew do so at their own risk, adding “It is going to be full enforcement to ensure compliance with the rules. The increase in new cases is becoming alarming and worrisome.

“We also discussed issues concerning the re-arrest of convicts who broke out from the jails. We discussed issues relating to the crime statistics for the month where we have the highest report coming from homicide followed by kidnapping and armed robbery.”

He said the state government is working with the new security chiefs to develop proactive steps to tackle crime in the state.

In his response, the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, Ogbadu said that the State Police Command has rearrested two out of eight suspected criminals that escaped from the cell at the state headquarters, noting, “We are going to arrest the remaining six. We have their data.”