The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on Tuesday inaugurated the Osun Joint Taskforce as part of efforts to strengthen security and maintain law and order in the state.

Oyetola said the taskforce was inaugurated to fight against kidnapping, cultism, illegal mining and other related crimes in the State.

The Governor maintained that the efforts would go a long way to consolidate on the achievements recorded by his administration and as well helps to retain Osun’s status as most secure and safest state in Nigeria.

Oyetola who described security as panacea to socioeconomic development, said the gesture was aimed at reducing the incursion of criminals into the State.

He added that his administration was committed to “providing adequate security for our economic and investment programmes so that our vision for translating the State into an economic hub can be achieved.”

The governor stated that this informed the huge investment and priority given to the security sector by the administration since assumption of office. He, therefore, pledged the administration’s commitment to fund the taskforce to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.

“Today’s flag-off crystallizes our bottom-up approach to fighting crime as we have involved communities across our State to elicit inputs into our security architecture and operations.

“It is also intended to consolidate our achievements and retain the status of Osun as the safest State in Nigeria. The Joint Task Force is a collaboration of the Army, the Police, the Air Force, the Department of State Service, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Immigration Service, and it shall provide operational support for Amotekun to fight cultism, kidnapping, illegal mining and other related crimes.

“All these efforts are aimed at reducing the incursion of criminals into the State.

“Security for us is a comprehensive initiative which includes economic, social, political and other spheres. Our social investment programmes such as employment for youths, credit facilities for our people are designed to empower them and eliminate crimes. Indeed, the inclusion of illegal mining as a component of this Joint Task Force is proof that we take our economic and industrial initiatives seriously.

“There is no hiding place for men of the underworld in the State of Osun. Today’s flag-off is, therefore, a warning to them to either leave the State of Osun or face the music”, Oyetola said.

The Governor charged the officials of the taskforce to serve with the fear of God and embrace their tasks with all sense of patriotism, integrity, commitment and diligence.

He sought cooperation from residents of the state as the officials of the taskforce commence their jobs across the nooks and crannies of the state.

“I enjoin you to work together as a team, collaborate with other security outfits and employ the spirit of esprit de corps in the discharge of your duties. Eschew all acts that can compromise your calling and effectiveness, including bribery, corruption, high-handedness and executive recklessness.

“Let me admonish our people to cooperate with the Joint Task Force as they are at work in our collective interest.

“Achieving security is a collective responsibility. It is a path to maintaining our status as a security conscious State, securing our people and attaining economic recovery and transformation for a sustainable, safe and prosperous Osun”, he added.