The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has lamented the menace of kidnapping and cultism, describing them as the biggest security challenges confronting the state.

Abiodun said this during the visit of the new Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge Zone 2, Johnson Kokumo, to his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Police Zone 2 Command oversees both the Lagos and Ogun police commands

The governor attributed the rising kidnapping activities to the existence of many federal roads in the state, saying it would require huge manpower and equipment to monitor criminal activities on the roads.

He commended the AIG for his initiative to provide security at Kara and the Long Bridge ends of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Abiodun explained that the Nigerian Army, through its General Officer Commanding, had pledged to support the state by deploying tracking equipment to track kidnappers, urging men of the Nigeria Police Force to work in synergy with the Army to achieve the objective.

“The biggest issues we have today in Ogun State are that of random kidnapping and cult activities.

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“I believe that the cult activities have abated now because of the joint efforts of the police, the State Security Services and the Nigerian Army.

“However, we are still struggling and dealing with issues that relate to kidnapping of contractors, farmers and innocent Ogun State residents. We sincerely hope that as we go along in our relationship, we will collaborate to ensure that we reduce this incident of kidnapping to absolute zero”, the governor said.

Kokumo said Zone 2 would ensure that adequate security was provided for companies, industries and other residents.

Earlier, during his visit to the state command, Kokumo, said a joint operation against criminals would be inaugurated on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to stop gridlock and robberies on the long bridge end of the expressway.