The Oyo State Government said it has procured two aircraft to curb the menace of illegal miners, kidnappers, and other security threats in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, after the weekly State Executive Council meeting.
Dotun noted that “the procurement was approved in a renewed determination by the government to secure the state further from the influx of bandits and the perpetration of their enterprise”.
According to the commissioner, the Council noted that though Oyo State enjoys relative peace compared to other states in the federation, the government would not be complacent because there were still pockets of kidnappings and banditry going on in parts of the state.
Oyelade explained that “the two light aircraft, DA 42 MNG model, were Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, with sophisticated surveillance gadgets capable of identifying targets from high and low altitudes”.
He said the preference for the aircraft instead of helicopters was because they were less expensive to maintain, the spare parts were accessible, and also because the Nigerian Air Force possesses a number of the model, which gives room for synergy.
Oyo State, according to him, had the largest land mass in the southern part of Nigeria, and bigger than 10 countries in Africa, with a landmass of 28,454 square kilometres.
The two aircraft already procured cost ₦7,763,360,000 and are expected to support Amotekun and other security agencies in the state to flush out bandits from their hideouts.
Oyelade said that in the South West Security Network, Amotekun, in Oyo had the highest number of staff — 2,500 — the highest number of vehicles — 181 — and the highest number of motorcycles, 450.
He further said that Amotekun operatives were the highest paid in the South West, with the least paid ₦116,000.
The Council also approved the construction of bridges, interchanges and the clearance of the North-East and South-West segments of the 110km Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road project, particularly from the Molarere, Odo-Oba, Abiola Ajimobi Technical University axis, all at ₦83,037,000,000.
It assured that 72km of the circular road would be completed by the time this administration ended its tenure in 2027.
The Council further approved asphaltic improvement of the Secretariat Road, Trans Amusement UI-Sango Road, and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium Road at ₦36,346,000,000, while the reconstruction of Mobil-Oluyole Industrial Estate Road network would be completed with ₦6,801,000,000.
It also approved the commencement of direct intervention in operations and maintenance of the Light-up Oyo Solar Project with ₦595,000,000, while ₦190,000,000 will be paid monthly for the operations and maintenance of the project as it stands.
