The Executive Director of Marine and Operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Olalekan Badmus, has criticized the continued withdrawal of armoured vehicles from key security flashpoints across Osun State by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Speaking with journalists on Monday, Badmus expressed concern that the vehicles have remained out of service for more than a year despite growing security challenges in the state and neighboring regions.
According to him, the prolonged absence of the armoured vehicles could undermine efforts to combat banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and other criminal activities, particularly as nearby states continue to grapple with security threats.
Badmus commended local government executives elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for providing patrol vehicles to security agencies, describing the initiative as a proactive step toward strengthening security at the grassroots level.
“You know what is happening in Oyo State, which shares a boundary with Osun. The decision by APC-led council executives demonstrates our party’s commitment to ensuring that security agencies can respond swiftly whenever there is a threat. We are prepared for any eventuality,” he said.
He urged the state government to return the armoured vehicles to active service, arguing that they had previously played a crucial role in tackling kidnapping, armed robbery, and other security challenges across the state.
Badmus alleged that the vehicles were withdrawn by the current administration under the claim that they were being refurbished, but noted that more than one and a half years later, they have yet to be redeployed.
“The armoured vehicles were removed from circulation by the present government without any clear explanation beyond claims of refurbishment. More than 18 months later, they have not been returned to service.
“These vehicles were effectively used in the past to combat robbery, kidnapping, and other security threats in Osun State. If the Adeleke administration cannot improve on the security framework it inherited, it should at least make available the resources already on ground for the safety of residents,” he stated.
Badmus called on the state government to take urgent steps to restore the vehicles to operation in order to enhance public safety and strengthen the capacity of security agencies to respond to emerging threats.
