PRESIDENT of the Pan African conglomerate, the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has called for cooperation of the citizenry with the security agencies to stem the rising spate of insecurity in the land.Dangote gave this charge in Abeokuta in Ogun State during the inauguration by the state government, of the State Security Trust Fund.To this end, the business mogul donated a sum of N75 million to the fund, saying the matter of security and the protection of lives and property could not be left alone in the hand of the government.He explained that the citizenry had their own role to play to make the society safe and have crimes and other social vices reduced to the barest minimum.Dangote pledged that his organisation would be ready to partner with the government and contribute its own quota to the task of reducing crimes and violence in the country, pointing out that the spate of armed robbery across the country, in the last few months has become unacceptable.At the inauguration, the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun handed over 120 double cabin patrol vans to be used as operational vehicles, noting that much as it was the duty of the state to ensure effective security measures are put in place, such measure could hardly work except the people play their own part.In this regard, he commended Alhaji Dangote and other personalities who contributed towards the successful take-off of the Security Trust Fun. According to him, Alhaji Dangote and his business organisations have proven to be responsible citizens who are never found wanting whenever their contributions are required on any give matter.Amosun urged other personalities to emulate Alhaji Dangote's good gesture in partnering with government for effective service delivery in so many sectors of the economy.He promised that the state government would do all within its power to guarantee security of lives and property and equally see that robbers and other criminal elements do not take the state as safe haven.Amosun, said in any given society, the primary purpose of governance was effective security of lives and property of the citizenry and that his government would do no less.He explained that stated that government decided to set up the Security Trust Fund comprising eminent personalities with proven track records to ensure the people are able to sleep with their two eyes closed and corporate organisations conduct their businesses without fear of robbery attack.Amosun added that the essence of the fund was to support government in tackling all forms of security challenges by sourcing for resources and efficiently deploying such to achieve the objective of a save and secured environment.While saying that security was paramount to his administration, Amosun noted that President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has approved the take off of a joint military police task force, which he said would have about 2000 security personnel located in all over the 20 local government areas of the State.'Aside from this joint military police task force, our government as a back up decided to set a complimentary outfit which would be referred to as 'Quick Response Squad' to compliment the efforts of the Nigeria Police and work in tandem with the joint military patrol team in order to totally eradicate crime in our State,' Amosun remarked.He pointed out that government was not oblivious of the fact that maintenance of law and orders does not come cheap, noting that it would need at between N200 and N300m monthly to effectively maintain the joint military police when fully operational.
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