The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has strongly condemned the attacks by suspected bandits on an Operation Burst base in Igbeti/Igboho Road on Sunday, saying the incident raises a lot of questions on the whereabouts and functionality of the multi-billion Naira surveillance aircraft recently purchased by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.
The gunmen were said to have operated for more than one full hour without repellence in the same axis where Gov. Makinde claimed to have cited the base station for the two security aircraft. The state government had last month claimed to have received and deployed the aircraft for security surveillance purposes.
Operation Burst is a joint security outfit consisting of men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Army.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare on Monday, Oyo APC said it was an irony that the criminals operated for so long in the area where the state government claimed to have deployed the aircraft for operation. Rather than Gov. Makinde’s incessant criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms which have tripled the revenue of Oyo State, Oyo State APC challenged the governor to explain why the bandits operated without hindrance despite the multi-billion Naira and other state resources claimed to have been expended surveillance activities.
“On many occasions, Gov. Makinde has said that the removal of fuel subsidy and floatation of Naira by the Tinubu administration were designed to punish Nigerians and enrich the governors. Going by his claims, he has been enriched tremendously as a serving governor but the fundamental question is about what he has done to transform the life of the common man in Oyo State in the last seven years.
“It is apparent that Gov. Makinde has failed to utilize the humongous revenues to transform the state as he continues to waste tax prayer’s money on inanities and cosmetic projects. A good example is the N7.8billion which he spent on the procurement of surveillance aircraft when he could have spent five per cent of the amount on cheaper technological equipment and facilities to achieve better results.
“Just yesterday, the security of the entire Pacesetters State was shaken up to its roots when insurgents unleashed terror on the Operation Burst Base located along Igbeti-Igboho Road in Oorelope Local Government Area of the state. At the end on the over one hour operation, the gunmen carted away some important items and set ablaze the security post and a vehicle. Thankfully, no casualty was recorded during the attack.
“Since the day Gov. Makinde celebrated the purported delivery of the two aircraft, nothing has either been heard or felt about their deployment to survey the airspace in the state. Sad enough, the Igbeti where the base station for the aircraft was reportedly situated came under heavy attacks for more than an hour and there was no surveillance aircraft to track the attackers and possibly repel them. Therefore, it is safe to say that the whole story about security surveillance aircraft is another question begging for answers.” Sadare said.