The Residents of Lagelu and Odutola Estate Association, Felele area of Ibadan in Oyo State, on Saturday donated Police Station to the state command to enhance effective policing of the communities.
Handling over the station to the police, the Chairman, Lagelu Housing Estate, Alhaji Abass Gbadebo, said it was as a result of serious security challenges facing the communities.
Gbadebo said that the estate, in recent times, was faced with insecurity such as robbery, rape, burglary and other social vices.
According to him, the security challenge had made some landlords in the estate to sell their houses and relocated for safety of their families.
The chairman said that security of the estate would improve due to the presence of police station in the community.
He further said that the association was able to build the station through financial support from residents in the estate and goodwill from other personalities.
Gbadebo, however, appealed to kind-hearted Nigerians to provide patrol vehicles, motorcycles, fencing and flooring of the station’ surroundings to ensure a befitting structure.
In his remarks, Prof. Adeniyi Osuntogun, Chairman of the occasion and former Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in Osun, said the role of police in providing security was essential in any community.
Osuntogun said it had been established that the occurrence of crimes in communities with the presence of police station were relatively low compared to others without the station.
He said that construction of the police station was in the right direction, commending the residents for their contribution toward the realisation of the project.
Also, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, appreciated the community for partnering with the police to bring policing closer to the people.
Onadeko, represented by ACP Gabriel Dibie, in charge of Administration, called on other communities to take a cue from the estate in order to improve on police effectiveness.
She assured the people of improved security in the state.
Present at the occasion are: Mr Dejo Olatoye, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Mr Ademola Ige, Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on Culture and Tourism, (NAN)
