Security agencies in Ekiti State on Monday launched “Operation comb the bush” as part of efforts to enhance safety and prevent criminal activities across the state.

 

 

The operation which commenced on Monday involved men and officers of the military, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Department of State Services, DSS, and Amotekun Corps, among others.

 

Addressing the joint patrol team at the Police Headquarters in Ado Ekiti before the commencement of the exercise, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Mr Falade Adegoroye, said the operation became necessary following intelligence reports indicating intensified security offensives against criminal elements in neighbouring Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun states, as well as parts of northern Nigeria.

 

 

He noted that the pressure on the criminal groups in those areas could force them to seek refuge in the South-West, thereby posing potential threats to Ekiti State. This, he said, necessitated the proactive move by all security agencies in the state.

 

Describing the exercise as a proactive measure to safeguard lives and property, the police commissioner explained that the special operation would involve coordinated bush combing, clearance of criminal hideouts, visibility policing, and raids across identified flashpoints, particularly in border communities.

 

Adegoroye maintained that the operation would help prevent crimes such as kidnapping, cattle rustling, vandalism, and attacks on public infrastructure and worship centres, among others.

 

Stressing the need to also protect farmers who are returning to their farms with the commencement of the rainy season, Adegoroye said the operation would also help create a secure environment for farming activities by denying criminal elements access to the forest and rural settlements.

 

The police chief instructed the officers to exhibit discipline, professionalism, and respect for human rights, assuring Ekiti residents that the operation would be carried out with utmost responsibility, in line with global best practices.

 

He commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the security of the people and consistently providing necessary support, logistics, and an enabling environment for security agencies to effectively discharge their duties in the state.

 

He added that the demonstrated commitment of the governor has continued to strengthen the fight against crime and ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.

 

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd), described the operation as a proactive measure by the governor to sustain the prevailing peace and security in the state.

 

Ogundana explained that the government had continued to invest in intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and logistics support for security outfits, stressing that the operation is part of a broader strategy to ensure that criminal elements do not find a safe haven in Ekiti.

 

While assuring residents that the Biodun Oyebanji administration will not relent in its resolve to keep Ekiti safe, secure, and conducive for economic activities and peaceful coexistence, the special adviser charged citizens to support security agencies with credible information.