Akinlade urges Abiodun to close hotels across border communities

Ogun gives stimulus packages to security personnel
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been advised to immediately order the closure of all hotels and guesthouses domiciled in Ogun West area of the state to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the state.

The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in the state, Adekunle Akinlade, who hails from the zone, said the hotels and guesthouses had become harbour for illegal immigrants, who sneak into the country through the porous borders.

In a letter to the governor yesterday and signed by his media aide, Alao Azeez Adelani, a copy of which was made available to The Guardian, Akinlade said: “This step is very essential because with the closure of the country’s airports, especially Lagos, Nigerian-bound travellers now fly to neighbouring countries and then get smuggled into Nigeria via the multiple unmanned routes (in Ogun West) in the night and lodge in hotels until the next relaxation hours of 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. as observed in the state.

“Smugglers no longer smuggle goods through the land borders, but human beings into the country via our porous borders and this is more deadlier than the inter-state transmission, as it aids communal transmission of the virus in the state.”

Akinlade, therefore, urged Governor Abiodun to immediately take actions on the issue and also intensify security surveillance in the five local councils under Ogun West — Ipokia, Imeko-Afon, Yewa North, Yewa South and Ado-Odo/Ota.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State government has donated some food items to officers and men across all security outfits operating in the state.

Donating the food items on behalf of the state government, the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said the security forces in the state were partners in the development agenda of the state.

She said: “They are also family men and women who have to deal with not only the professions or careers, but to deal and support their families at all times.

‘’At the beginning, we gave them some cash to be able to support their officers who were on special assignment. But today, we are now giving them (palliatives) food items to support them as well.

“This will go to everybody, not just the police on the frontline, but to everybody in all their barracks right across the state.”

“We have here about 15 different agencies represented, the police, Army, Customs, Immigration, TRACE, NDLEA, Civil Defence, DSS, So safe and others. So, this is an all-encompassing relief package.”

The state Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abodunrin, appreciated the state government for being people-friendly, noting that the palliative measures would aid them to re-double their efforts at ensuring the safety of lives and property of the residents.

He, therefore, assured the government of continued commitments to excellent security service delivery.