The lawmaker representing Saki West, Saki East and Atisbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kareem Tajudeen Abisodun (Were), has called for stronger community participation in the fight against kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges confronting communities in Oyo State.
Abisodun made the call in Tede, Oyo State , while speaking at a security-focused programme where Professor Tajudeen Okekunle Hamsat delivered a lecture titled, “Rethinking Security in Our Homeland: Evolving Challenges and Collective Responses.”
The lawmaker identified economic hardship as one of the factors contributing to insecurity, noting that worsening economic conditions could create vulnerabilities that criminal elements exploit.
He also urged residents to be vigilant and act as security watchdogs in their communities, particularly by paying attention to strange faces and unknown persons whose activities could pose a threat to public safety.
The lawmaker, who narrated his personal encounter with a stranger, stressed the importance of community intelligence in preventing criminal activities.
He said residents were often better positioned to identify unusual movements and persons within their communities and should therefore cooperate with security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities.
The lawmaker also expressed support for the proposed state police, saying the success of local policing would depend largely on the deployment of people who understand the communities they are expected to protect.
He argued that residents should be recruited and deployed to serve as police officers in their respective communities, saying such an arrangement would strengthen intelligence gathering and enable security personnel to better understand local security concerns.
He expressed optimism that, the state police initiative would be implemented during the second term of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said effective policing required a closer relationship between security personnel and the communities they serve, particularly in areas where local knowledge could assist in identifying emerging threats.
The lawmaker also called for greater unity among the people of Oke-Ogun, describing the zone as “one family.”
He said his relationship with Tede extended beyond political considerations, noting that he was connected to the community through family ties.
Abisodun subsequently donated N3.5 million to support the ongoing Security Trust Fund/Endowment Fund as part of his contribution towards strengthening security in the area.
The contribution, he said, was aimed at supporting community efforts to improve security and protect residents.
Earlier in his presentation, Hamsat had identified economic frustration, youth unemployment, weakened community structures and drug abuse among factors contributing to insecurity, stressing that security could no longer be treated as the exclusive responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
The resource person also advocated stronger collaboration among traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies, youth organisations, religious leaders and residents to improve early detection and response to security threats.
He urged citizens to report suspicious activities and participate actively in community security, arguing that collective responsibility remained critical to curbing kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality.