Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on Monday disclosed that over 70 foreign nationals from Niger Republic, Sudan and Chad were arrested by law enforcement agencies for failing to provide clear explanations for their presence in the state.

He wondered what the nationals who could not speak or write English were doing in the gateway state, saying his administration would process the individuals through immigration services. He called on communities, particularly those close to border towns, to be vigilant about strangers.

Abiodun, who disclosed that a robust security arrangement would be put in place to secure the state in view of the recent spike in the spate of banditry, terrorism and other heinous crimes in parts of the country, urged traditional rulers not to allocate lands to strangers.

He noted that the state government will begin documenting all undocumented foreign nationals working for multinational companies operating in the state.

The governor also said new non-indigenes entering the state for the first time would undergo proper screening by their community leaders to ensure they are not used to orchestrate violence, stressing that government must know their purpose and means of livelihood.

He stated this while addressing journalists at Iperu after a security meeting, saying that measures had been put in place to take proactive steps to safeguard the lives and properties of citizens across the state.

“The law enforcement agencies have arrested, within the last three to four days, about 70 persons from Chad and Sudan who cannot even speak English and cannot explain what they are doing here. We are going to process these individuals with the Nigeria Immigration Service. We will also be calling on our non-indigene communities to be more vigilant so that we know who is here and why they are here,” he said.

The governor also expressed concern about scavengers’ activities, noting that they now pose a greater security threat than before.

“We discussed the issue of scavengers who have become more of a threat. Law enforcement agencies will pay particular attention to them.

We will engage them to ensure they are not being used to perpetrate crimes in the state,” he added.

Abiodun said the meeting was convened in response to the country’s current security climate, noting that as Nigeria’s industrial capital, Ogun receives more than five million daily commuters, making it crucial for government to heighten vigilance.

He directed the police to immediately move into areas such as “Zanga” in Ijebu-Ode and similar enclaves across the state and clear them out, warning that properties used by criminals would henceforth be seized by the government.

The governor, speaking on the recent incident at Ajebo in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, stressed that security officers had visited the settlement to verify that its occupants pose no threat, and assured that the state’s forest reserves would be thoroughly secured to prevent criminals from using them as hideouts. (The Guardian)

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